Buckwheat Blini With Caviar

• 1 package dry active yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 cups slightly warm milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 4 eggs, separated
• 6 ounces creme fraiche
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) melted butter, kept warm
• At least 125 grams caviar or trout roe
• 2 tablespoons finely cut chives

1. In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup milk.
2. Stir in 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
3. Combine remaining all-purpose flour, the buckwheat flour and salt.
4. Add 2 cups milk to the yeast mixture and gradually whisk in flour-salt mixture until you have a smooth, thick batter.
5. Whisk in melted butter.
6. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
7. Leave at room temperature and let batter slowly double in size, about 2 to 3 hours.
8. (The batter may remain at room temperature even longer if necessary.)
9. You may also mix batter and refrigerate overnight.
10. Bring to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.
11. When you are ready to cook blini, stir down batter, which will have become quite frothy.
12. Beat egg yolks and whisk into batter.
13. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
14. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
15. Spoon batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle, using a large soup spoon to make blini that are 3 inches in diameter.
16. Cook for about 2 minutes, until bottom is well browned.
17. Flip and cook 1 minute more.
18. (Wait until surface is covered in bubbles before flipping.)
19. Keep warm in a low oven.
20. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche, a drizzle of butter, a generous spoonful of caviar and a sprinkling of chives.

active yeast, sugar, slightly warm milk, flour, buckwheat flour, salt, butter, eggs, creme fraiche, butter, at, chives

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014436 (may not work)