Project Food Blog Challenge # 4: Making Blintzes

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments, and your votes on the third challenge for Project Food Blog! For the forth challenge, I am sharing a step-by-step photo tutorial of one of my all-time favorite dishes, the cheese blintzes. I would appreciate your support - please vote for my entry here

One of the very first blog posts that I published was an all-time family favorite, my recipe for cheese blintzes. It was actually the first dish that I tried to take a picture of specifically for my blog. Back then, I knew very little about food photography, and now I know that my picture wasn't that great. Today, two years later and with much improved photography skills, I am pleased to share with my readers a step-by-step photo tutorial on how to make the perfect blintzes.

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In a large bowl, place 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3 large eggs, and 1 1/3 cups of milk.

Mix to blend so the batter is smooth.

Whisk in 3 tablespoons of melted butter.

Melt an additional tablespoon of butter in a crêpe pan. I use a large 12-inch crêpe pan but a smaller crêpe pan or a griddle will work as well.

Pour about 2/3 of the scoop of batter into pan (use less batter for a smaller pan).

Turn the pan gently to spread the batter around the whole pan.

Cook until the edges of the crêpe turns light brown, about 1 minute. Loosen the edges gently with a spatula.

Flip the crêpe over.

Cook the other side about 30 more seconds.

Transfer to plate and cover with foil. Repeat with remaining batter, spraying pan with more melted butter as needed and keeping the crêpes warm.

To make the filling for the blintzes, mix 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla together in a bowl.

Place one crêpe browned side up on a work surface. Spread the filling on one side of the crêpe.

Roll the crêpe up.

Cut in half to form two blintzes.

Repeat with remaining filling and crêpes. This recipe makes about 12-16 blintzes.

To prepare cherries: place about 1 cup of pitted cherries and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Simmer until juices form a thick syrup.

To make chocolate syrup: combine 1/2 cup cold water with 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to boil and simmer just until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the chocolate syrup into a plastic container and cool.

Before serving, place the blintzes on a large griddle greased with olive oil.

Brown for 1 minute per side.

Serve the blintzes with chocolate syrup and cherries.