Hibernation is one of the coolest things about the winter. I don’t know about you, but I always feel at least a small twinge of envy imagining all manner of creatures – from bears to bats to turtles – hiding out until the sun comes out and the world is a warm and happy place again. Turns out I missed the hibernation memo, though, because I’m emerging from my cave smack dab in the middle of winter and spent most of a mild autumn outside of my daily routine. Of course, my hibernation period was also a little less envy-producing; my cave was filled with work and school and dwelling in it throughout the autumn season meant a longer than usual break from blogging. So I’m super excited to rejoin the world, even if I have to do so from beneath a few pounds of outerwear.
And what better way to bring some brightness to this cloudy January than with these delicious blini rolls! For those who aren’t familiar with blinis, they are Russian pancakes that vary in thickness and can be served sweet or savory. My grain-free version is a little thicker than a crepe but much thinner than your standard American pancake. It is filled with strawberry preservers and a delectable sweet cream, then rolled and sliced into elegant little spirals for your eating pleasure. These guys are fairly simple to make – the blinis have just three ingredients and come together in the blender and the filling is even easier. And, provided you let everything cool completely, unmolding them from the parchment paper, rolling, and slicing is really no big deal. In fact, the most difficult part of this recipe is probably separating your eggs! (But don’t worry, I have plenty of ways for you to use up those yolks – see notes below.)
A couple notes about the recipe:
-You could make this refined sugar free by using fruit-sweetened jam and sweetening the cream with your choice of sweetener (agave, honey, maple syrup, etc.)
-For Low FODMAP, use lactose-free sour cream and cream cheese and strawberry preserves sweetened with sugar, not fruit. This recipe makes eight blini rolls; two is a safe low FODMAP serving size.
-Make my potato & manchego tart with your leftover six egg yolks. You can also make some matcha custard (4 yolks) and use the remaining two in a simple omelette.
-These blini rolls do not store well. If you put them in the fridge, they will get soggy and unappealing. You can make the cream mixture ahead and store it in the fridge, but the blini rolls should be made on the day you want to eat them.
Strawberry & Cream Blini Rolls (Grain-Free!)
- 6 egg whites
- 1 pound (2 medium) ripe plantains (mostly black), weighed before peeling
- 2 scant tablespoons grapeseed oil
- ¾ cup sour cream (I used lactose-free)
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- Scant ⅓ cup cream cheese (I used lactose-free)
- ½ cup strawberry jam/preserves
Directions:
Mix the sour cream, sugar, and cream cheese together. If the sugar doesn’t dissolve right away, give the mixture some vigorous stirs and then simply cover and place in the fridge while you make the blini rolls. The sugar will dissolve by the time you are ready to use the cream.
Line two sheet trays with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the plantains, cut into pieces, and place in a high-powered blender with the egg whites and oil. Blend 15-20 seconds until completely smooth. Divide batter between the two lined sheet trays and use a rubber or wooden spatula to spread each one into an approx. 8.5 x 11 inch rectangle. Bake the rectangles for 9-12 minutes until the tops are dry. Let cool completely; then invert onto a clean surface and peel off the parchment paper.
Spread each rectangle with ½ cup of the cream followed by ¼ cup of the strawberry jam, leaving an inch or so margin around the edges. Roll tightly, then cut each cake into about four 2-inch across pieces. The middle pieces will be best, presentation-wise, but the ends will still be yummy. You should have a small bit of cream left for styling your plates.
Serve immediately.
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