Frederic Melton
Cheese blintzes are thin pancakes filled with a creamy cheese mixture, then pan-fried until golden brown. They are usually served with a fresh fruit or berry sauce. Blintzes are thought to have originated in Central and Eastern European countries, especially among Jewish populations, and became popular in other parts of the world during the 1800s. To make cheese blintzes, you first need to prepare the pancake batter, which is a combination of flour, milk, sugar, and eggs. This is then poured into a hot pan and swirled around to form a thin, circular pancake. The cheese filling is made by mixing together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and sugar, and sometimes lemon zest. The pancakes are then filled with the cheese mixture, rolled up, and pan-fried.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Dish | Appetizer, side, or main course |
| Origin | Central and Eastern European countries, especially among Jewish populations |
| Main Ingredients | Pancakes/crêpes/thin crepe-like pancakes, cheese filling |
| Cheese Filling Options | Ricotta, cream cheese, farmer's cheese, cottage cheese, lemon zest, sugar, lemon juice, sour cream, lemon extract, orange blossom water |
| Pancake Ingredients | Flour, milk, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, salt |
| Toppings/Sauces | Berry sauce, fresh fruit, honey, chocolate sauce, bananas, whipped cream, sweetened sour cream, pie filling |
| Cooking Method | Pan-frying, baking |
| Preparation Time | 30 minutes for the batter to rest, 1 minute to cook each pancake |
| Freezing | Can be frozen for up to 2 months, preferably after filling and before frying |
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What You'll Learn
- Making the filling: whisk ricotta, cream cheese, egg, sugar, lemon zest and salt
- Preparing the batter: blend flour, milk, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla and salt
- Cooking the pancakes: swirl batter in a pan, cook until dry, flip, cook other side
- Assembling the blintzes: add filling, fold edges, roll up
- Cooking the blintzes: fry in butter until browned, bake to firm up filling
Making the filling: whisk ricotta, cream cheese, egg, sugar, lemon zest and salt
To make the filling for your cheese blintzes, grab a mixing bowl and add ricotta cheese, cream cheese, an egg, sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Whisk all the ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined and smooth. You can adjust the measurements of each ingredient to your taste preferences. For example, if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to add a little extra sugar.
If you are not using the filling immediately, cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. The filling can be made up to one day in advance. You can also add a handful of blueberries to the mixture to make blueberry blintzes. If you don't like blueberries, you could try another berry, such as raspberries or strawberries.
Some recipes suggest draining the ricotta cheese before mixing it with the other ingredients. This helps the filling to thicken and not spread when you come to assemble your blintzes. If you want to make your blintzes ahead of time, you can assemble them and then chill them in the fridge until you are ready to fry them.
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Preparing the batter: blend flour, milk, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla and salt
To make the batter for cheese blintzes, you will need flour, milk, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, and salt. Combine all of these ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Make sure there are no lumps in the batter. You can also use a fork to mix the ingredients together until smooth. The consistency of the batter should be lump-free and smooth.
Once you have prepared the batter, let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using it. This step is important as it allows the batter to settle and ensures that your blintzes will have the perfect texture. While the batter is resting, you can prepare the filling. A traditional cheese blintz filling is made by mixing ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, and lemon. However, you can also experiment with different ingredients to create your own unique filling.
After the batter has rested, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray the skillet with cooking spray or generously grease it with nonstick cooking oil spray. Avoid getting the oil spray too close to a gas stovetop flame. Pour about 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet and immediately swirl it around to coat the bottom evenly.
Cook the batter until the surface looks dry, which should take around 1 minute. Then, flip the crêpe and briefly cook the other side for about 30 seconds. Transfer the cooked crêpe to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining batter until you have a stack of thin pancakes.
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Cooking the pancakes: swirl batter in a pan, cook until dry, flip, cook other side
To make the pancakes for your cheese blintzes, start by preparing your pancake batter. In a blender, combine flour, milk, sugar, and eggs. You can also add butter, vanilla, and salt to your batter. Blend until the mixture is smooth, with no lumps.
Once your batter is ready, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, spray it with cooking spray or generously grease it with nonstick cooking oil spray.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and immediately swirl the batter around to coat the bottom of the skillet. You can do this by tilting the pan in a circular motion until the batter forms a thin, large, circular shape.
Cook the pancake until the surface looks dry, which should take around 1 minute. Then, flip the pancake and briefly cook the other side for about 30 seconds. Transfer the cooked pancake to a plate and keep it warm while you repeat the process with the remaining batter.
Once you have a stack of cooked pancakes, you can start preparing your filling. Blintzes are typically filled with a creamy cheese mixture, such as a blend of ricotta and cream cheese. You can also add ingredients like lemon zest, sugar, or vanilla for extra flavour.
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Assembling the blintzes: add filling, fold edges, roll up
To assemble the blintzes, first place a big spoonful of the filling about one inch from the edge of the pancake. Next, fold the edge closest to you over the filling and flatten it down gently. Then, fold in both sides, like an envelope, and roll the pancake up into a small rectangle, ending with the seam on the bottom. Repeat this process for the remaining blintzes.
Some prefer to chill their blintzes before cooking them in a pan, as this helps them hold together better and prevents the cheese mixture from melting into the pan. You can also freeze the blintzes for up to two months and cook them straight from frozen.
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Cooking the blintzes: fry in butter until browned, bake to firm up filling
Once you've made your batter and filling, it's time to cook your blintzes!
First, heat a non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. You'll know the pan is hot enough when a drop of water sizzles on its surface. Grease the pan generously with butter or cooking spray. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and immediately swirl it around to coat the bottom. Cook until the surface looks dry, about 1 minute, then flip and cook the other side for about 30 seconds. Transfer the cooked blintz to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
Next, you'll fill the blintzes. Place a big spoonful of filling onto each blintz, about 1 inch from the edge nearest you. Spread it into a thin layer, leaving a wide border. Fold the edge of the blintz over the filling and flatten slightly, then fold in both sides and roll it up like a small burrito.
Now it's time to fry the blintzes! Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, place several blintzes in the pan and cook until golden brown, turning gently, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the cooked blintzes to a baking dish.
Finally, bake the blintzes in the oven to firm up the filling. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and bake for about 12 minutes. Allow the blintzes to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Your cheese blintzes are now ready to serve! Enjoy them as they are, or with toppings such as powdered sugar, sour cream, or fruit sauce.
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Frequently asked questions
For the pancakes, you will need flour, milk, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, and salt. For the filling, you will need ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, and lemon.
Add your chosen ingredients to a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and grease with cooking spray or oil. Pour in about 1/4 cup of batter and immediately swirl the batter around to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook until the surface looks dry, then flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds.
Place a spoonful of filling onto the pancake, about 1 inch from the edge. Fold the edge over the filling and flatten slightly, then fold in both sides and roll up the pancake.
