Two slate serving boards covered with small round blinis. The front board shows two rows of fig and herb cream cheese blinis with fresh fig slices and thyme leaves, and one row of smoked salmon and cornichon blinis. The back board shows blinis topped with folded slices of cured meat, cornichons and dill, on a white marble surface.

pescatariansnackmake-aheadhigh-protein

Fig & Herb Cream Cheese Blinis with Smoked Salmon

Name: Fig & Herb Cream Cheese Blinis with Smoked Salmon
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 120 g Buckwheat flour; 30 g Plain flour; 1 tsp Fast-action dried yeast; 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 200 ml Warm whole milk; 2 Eggs; 1 tbsp Unsalted butter; 200 g Light cream cheese; 2 tbsp Fresh dill; 1 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves; 1 Lemon; Salt and black pepper; 150 g Smoked salmon; 3 Fresh figs; 12 Cornichons; 1 tbsp Clear honey; 6 Fresh dill sprigs

Light buckwheat blinis piled with herb cream cheese, sweet fresh figs or silky smoked salmon make a protein-rich, crowd-pleasing canapé that feels indulgent without the excess.

Prep 20 min Cook 15 min 6 servings

Nutrition per serving

210 kcal calories

11 g protein

18 g carbs

10 g fat

5 g sugar

Fibre 2g

Added sugar 2g

Sodium 480mg

See how it compares to the classic ↓

In the clinic

44% less saturated fat

Blinis with smoked salmon and cream cheese this version

Compared to Blinis with smoked salmon and cream cheese (typical version, estimated)

Classic party blinis use full-fat cream cheese generously spread and are often served on plain white-flour blinis with little herb or vegetable garnish

+100% fibre −41% fat −29% sodium

Per serving	Blinis with smoked salmon and cream cheese	This recipe	Difference
Calories	290 kcal	210 kcal	−28%
Carbs	20g	18g	−10%
Fat	17g	10g	−41%
Saturated fat	9g	5g	−44%
Sugar	3g	5g	+67%
Sodium	680mg	480mg	−29%
Fibre	1g	2g	+100%
Protein	11g	11g	no change

What changed

Full-fat cream cheese spread thickly Lighter herb cream cheese, used as a smaller dollop

Reduces saturated fat per blini while keeping the creamy texture and adding flavour from fresh herbs
Plain white-flour blinis Buckwheat blinis

Buckwheat adds fibre and lowers the glycaemic load compared with refined white flour
No fruit garnish Fresh fig slices drizzled with a small amount of honey

Figs add fibre, potassium and natural sweetness, keeping added sugar minimal while replacing any need for a sugary chutney
Pickled gherkins as the only vegetable element Cornichons plus fresh dill and smoked salmon

Smoked salmon delivers omega-3 fatty acids that support retinal and cardiovascular health, replacing less nutritious processed meat toppings

Both figures are estimates per serving. The comparison is a typical traditional version of the dish, not a specific product.

Priyanka shared these elegant little canapés in the family group chat, and they are absolutely worth recreating. Two varieties sit side by side: one topped with cream cheese, fresh figs and thyme honey, the other with smoked salmon, cornichons and dill cream cheese.

Ingredients

Servings 6

120 g Buckwheat flour
30 g Plain flour
1 tsp Fast-action dried yeast
0.5 tsp Fine sea salt
200 ml Warm whole milk
2 Eggs, separated
1 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for cooking
200 g Light cream cheese
2 tbsp Fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves
1 Lemon, zest and a squeeze of juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste
150 g Smoked salmon, sliced into strips
3 Fresh figs, quartered
12 Cornichons, halved lengthways
1 tbsp Clear honey, for drizzling over fig blinis
6 Fresh dill sprigs, to garnish salmon blinis

Compared to Blinis with smoked salmon and cream cheese (typical version, estimated)

28% fewer calories10% less carbs41% less fat100% more fibre Full comparison ↑

Instructions

Combine the buckwheat flour, plain flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Whisk the warm milk, egg yolks and melted butter together, then pour into the well and stir until you have a smooth batter. Cover and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gently fold them into the rested batter to keep the blinis light.
Beat the light cream cheese with the chopped dill, half the thyme leaves, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper and set aside.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and brush lightly with melted butter. Drop tablespoons of batter into the pan to make rounds of about 6 cm diameter. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface and the underside is golden, then flip and cook for a further minute. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining batter.
Once the blinis have cooled slightly, dollop a teaspoon of herb cream cheese onto each one.
For the smoked salmon blinis: lay a strip of smoked salmon over the cream cheese, add a halved cornichon and finish with a small sprig of fresh dill.
For the fig blinis: press a quarter of fresh fig into the cream cheese, scatter over the remaining thyme leaves and finish with a small drizzle of honey.
Arrange the two varieties on slate boards or a serving platter and serve immediately.