A blini works best when it leaves room for the caviar. Its soft surface supports the pearls and makes a tidy bite, without a knife or a tower of ingredients. The practical secret is size: one piece you can eat in a bite or two, topped with enough caviar to recognise its flavour.
Get the base ready
Have the blinis prepared before you open the tin. You can warm them gently, then let them settle to lukewarm; a very hot base is not the place for cool caviar. If you add a little cream, spread it thinly and evenly. It should bring softness and hold the pearls, not become the main flavour. You can also leave it out and compare the two versions.
Set the blinis on a tray that can go straight to the table. Leave space between them so guests can pick one up without disturbing the others. Add the caviar with a clean spoon just before serving. Three pieces finished at the right moment are more appetising than a whole tray left waiting out of the cold.
Count without inventing a universal serving
First decide how many blinis each person might eat and how present the caviar should be on each one. A small taste and an appetiser centred on caviar are different plans. Weigh the total amount you want to use and compare it with the available tin sizes. If you choose a 50 g tin for ten blinis, dividing it evenly gives 5 g per piece. That is useful arithmetic, not a culinary rule.
If you want two variations, change only one thing: with cream and without it, for instance. You will discover which base you prefer without piling onion, herbs and sauces onto the ingredient you meant to taste. A touch of crunch might be pleasant, but try it after you have enjoyed the basic combination.
Service matters more than decoration
Keep the caviar according to the instructions on its packaging and send the blinis out in small batches. If the gathering will last a while, keep the bases ready and finish each batch when people are about to eat. Your guests receive a soft blini, a cool serving of caviar and the chance to repeat exactly the bite they liked the first time.
