Servings: 20, depending on size

 INGREDIENTS

• 70g plain flour
• 70g buckwheat flour
• 4g yeast
• Pinch of salt
• 125ml milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 20g butter, plus extra for cooking
• 100ml sour cream
• 2 eggs, separated

To serve: Cream cheese or mascarpone, cured or smoked salmon, dill, salt-pickled sakura blossoms.

PREPARATION

Gently rinse sakura of the salt cure and set aside to dry in the sun.

Combine sifted flours, yeast and salt in a mixing bowl.

In a saucepan, combine milk, sugar and butter and cook over a medium-low heat until the butter has melted and sugar has dissolved.

Allow milk mixture to cool a little, then whisk in sour cream and egg yolks.

Make a well in the flour, then add the milk mixture gradually, whisking to combine.

Cover batter with a teatowel and set aside to prove for 1 hour.

Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks, and gently fold through the batter until thoroughly combined.

Heat butter in a nonstick frying pan and add teaspoons of batter at a time, flipping once at just golden.

To serve, top blinis with cream cheese, salmon, dill and sakura blossoms.