Perfect Blintz Batter Food

PERFECT BLINTZ BATTER

Steps:

• In a medium bowl lightly beat eggs, then whisk in water, milk, salt, 2 teaspoons sugar and vanilla (if using) until well blended.
• Sift the flour and baking powder, then stir into the egg ingredients; whisk until thick (the batter should resemble thick unwhipped whipping cream).
• Stir in melted butter.
• Let the batter sit out at room temperature for 20 minutes or until it comes to room temperature and the bubbles settle.
• Lightly butter a 8-inch skillet on medium heat.
• Add in about 3-4 tablespoons batter and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet.
• Cook until the bottom is set and light browned (these will cook very fast!).
• Flip the blintz over and cook for about 30 seconds.
• Repeat with remaining batter.
• *NOTE* You can cool these and then place on a baking sheet, freeze them then transfer to a plastic bag.

BLINTZES

Steps:

• With a whisk, beat eggs and milk together and add the salt. Gradually, a tablespoonful at a time, whisk in flour and beat until smooth. Heat a 6inch skillet and butter it lightly. Pour in enough batter to make a thin pancake. (If batter is too thick, add water to thin) Pour out excess back into the batter and don't worry if a "tab" forms on the side of the pan.
• Cook the blintz on one side only until the top blisters and it looks dry around the edges. Turn the blintz upside down onto a clean towel. Rebutter the skillet if need be, every 2 or 3 blintzes, and proceed until all the batter has been used up.
• Make assorted fillings, roll up and fry, or bake or freeze for another day.

QUICK-AND-EASY CHEESE BLINTZ CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or coat it with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a blender or a food processor (fitted with a steel blade), combine all batter ingredients. Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the container once or twice. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the batter, and pour it into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees forabout 10 minutes, or until it is set.
• Meanwhile, combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl, and mix them well. When the bottom layer has set, remove it from the oven and spread the filling over it, smoothing the top. Give the remaining batter a brief stir to resuspend the ingredients; then very slowly pour it over the cheese filling so the filling is completely covered. Carefully return the casserole to the 350 degree oven, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is puffed and set.
• Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before cutting it into squares. Serve with your choice of accompaniments.

GRANDMA REILKOFF'S AUTHENTIC RUSSIAN BLINTZE

Steps:

• Batter should be quite runny (compared to pancake batter, say). Use a HOT (but not quite smoking) non-stick pan, covering the bottom of the pan thinly with batter. Lift pan and spread batter to edges as best you can.
• When the edges start to brown, fold in half and remove from pan.
• Continue making one blintze per pan until batter is finished (use a couple of pans if needed).
• NOTE: **If blintzes don't easily remove from pan, add another tablespoon of oil to the batter. The temperature of your pan may also be at play - it needs to be quite hot.

CHEF JOHN'S CHEESE BLINTZES

Steps:

• Place 3 eggs, flour, milk, water, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract in a blender. Blend until completely smooth, 1 or 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Let batter sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Whisk together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, lemon zest, egg, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix together thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate.
• Heat a 10-inch, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray or brush lightly with vegetable oil. Pour in about 1/4 cup batter. Immediately swirl batter around to coat bottom of pan. Cook until surface looks dry, about 1 minute. Flip crepe over to briefly cook other side, about 30 seconds. Remove to a plate. Repeat with the rest of batter. Stack crepes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly butter a baking dish.
• Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of filling onto the crepe, about an inch from edge nearest you. Fold edge over filling and flatten slightly. Fold in both sides, then roll up crepe into a small filled rectangle, ending with the seam on the bottom, creating a blintz.
• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Cook the blintzes until golden brown on both sides, turning gently, about 2 minutes. Transfer to buttered baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven to firm up the filling, about 12 minutes. Cool blintzes 10 minutes before serving. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.

OVERNIGHT BLINTZ BAKE

Steps:

• Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir all filling ingredients until well blended; set aside.
• In medium bowl, stir all batter ingredients with wire whisk or fork until well blended. Pour batter into baking dish. Pour filling evenly over batter. Cover; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Uncover baking dish; bake 55 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and center is set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Top servings with sour cream and strawberry preserves.

BREAKFAST BLINTZES WITH CARAMELIZED RHUBARB AND SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter; let cool.
• Combine the flour, salt, 1/4 tablespoon sugar, eggs, milk, and 2 tablespoons reserved melted, cooled butter in the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Melt remaining 9 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar over butter; cook until sugar has dissolved and starts to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add rhubarb; cook, shaking pan vigorously to coat in caramelized sugar, until rhubarb is tender and just starting to fall apart, about 5 minutes. Add brandy to pan, shake pan, cook just until liquid comes to a boil, about 30 seconds; remove from heat. Transfer rhubarb to a small bowl; set into the ice bath to stop the cooking.
• Heat a 10-inch nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Melt about 1/2 tablespoon butter in saute pan; swirl to coat. If butter pools, gently wipe with a paper towel. Pour a scant 1/4 cup chilled batter into hot saute pan. Swirl pan to form a thin, even layer; cook blintz until bottom is very lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Do not turn over. Loosen edge of blintz with a spatula; slide out of pan onto a piece of waxed paper. Continue making blintzes until all batter is used (you may not need to add butter to pan each time); place a piece of waxed paper between each one.
• Transfer a blintz, cooked side up, onto a plate. Spoon a generous 1/4 cup of rhubarb filling (getting a nice amount of fruit to liquid) into center of blintz. Carefully fold up blintz, creating an envelope for filling; set aside, seam up, on a baking sheet. Continue filling and folding until all blintzes and filling have been used.
• Melt just enough butter to lightly coat bottom of large saute pan (use same nonstick saute pan or a slightly larger saute pan if you wish, over medium-low heat). Arrange 2 or 3 filled blintzes at a time, depending on size of pan, in saute pan; cook until blintzes are golden and crisp on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Serve immediately with sour cream.

MEAT-FILLED BLINTZES

Steps:

• Blintz: Beat eggs and milk together.
• Add flour, sugar, salt.
• Add water and melted butter or oil.
• Heat skillet or crepe pan medium/high heat. If needed, grease pan for each blintz.
• Pour about 1/3 cup batter and tilt pan to cover bottom.
• Blintz is done when bottom starts browning and top no longer looks wet. No need to flip.
• Filling: Fry onion.
• Add meat, cook well. If you like, add two tablespoons flour for consistency.
• Add salt, pepper, or other seasonings.
• Use 2-3 tablespoons filling for each blintz. Fold in 2 sides and roll up.
• (I usually skip this next step) Bake in 400 oven 8-10 minutes or til brown.
• Serve with sour cream!

MAKE-AHEAD BLINTZ CASSEROLE

Steps:

• For filling, place first 6 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl., Place batter ingredients in food processor; process until smooth. Pour half of the batter into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Drop tablespoons of filling over batter; cover with remaining batter. Refrigerate, several hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples and lemon juice. Cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until apples are tender. Add brown sugar and salt; cook 1 minute longer or until thickened. Stir in extract; cool slightly. Serve with casserole.

BAKED BLINTZ

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375* F. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch casserole pan.
• To make filling: In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese. Add cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1 tbsp sugar, and vanilla. Beat together and set aside.
• To make batter: In a large bowl, cream together butter and 1/3 c sugar. Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour and baking powder. Add yogurt, sour cream, and orange juice and mix well.
• Pour 1/2 the batter into the casserole. Spread filling over batter. Pour remaining batter over top.
• Bake at 375* F for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into squares and serve garnished with dollops of sour cream and preserves.

BREAKFAST BLINTZ SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• For filling: In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
• Add ricotta cheese, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract; mix thoroughly.
• Set aside.
• For blintz: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
• Add eggs and beat well.
• In two separate bowls, combine flour with baking powder and yogurt with orange juice.
• Add alternately to egg mixture, and stir until thoroughly blended.
• Pour half of batter into a greased 9 x 13 x 2 inch glass dish.
• Cover batter with filling, spreading evenly to sides of pan.
• Top with remaining batter.
• Bake 45-55 minutes or until golden-brown.
• Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes before cutting.
• Serve with fresh sweetened fruit.

BLINTZ BRUNCH BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Beat Neufchatel, ricotta, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon zest and juice in large bowl with mixer until blended.
• Whisk remaining eggs, sugar, flour, butter, milk and baking powder in separate bowl until blended. Spread 1/3 of the batter onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover with Neufchatel mixture, then remaining batter.
• Bake 45 min. or until center is set.