Blintzes

This is my family’s favorite holiday treat.  My Sister-in-law makes these every year for breaking the fast at Yom Kippur.  My kids talk about these blintzes all the time.  As you have read this week, my oldest son has been cooking with me to expand his repertoire.  Unbeknownst to me, he asked his Aunt if she would make blintzes with him.  She came over on Sunday and Sam did everything she directed and they came out awesome.

These blintzes must be hard to make?  They are so good.  It must take hours?  There must be like a hundred steps?  Obviously, the answer is no to these questions.  They are really not that complicated to make.  Each step just needs to be done well.  Her secret is to freeze the blintzes before baking.  I guess that helps them bind more.

Ingredients:

• 2 loaves of Pepperidge Farm white bread, crust removed 
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 – 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 sticks butter
• 2 loaves of cream cheese, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg, beaten
• zest of 1 lemon and some juice

Directions:

Start by combining the cream cheese, lemon zest and a little juice with the vanilla in your mixer.  Set aside.  Take your bread (crust removed) and flatten using a rolling pin.  You want them to be pretty thin.  This bread rolls out easily.

Next, take a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture along one end of the bread.  You will need to use your fingers to get an even layer of the mixture along the horizontal.  Will make the blintz look better as you roll it.

 

With the cream cheese on one end, roll in to a tight log.

Now set up your dredging stations.  The butter goes in one dish (flatter dishes are better for the rolling).  The sugar and cinnamon goes in the next dish.  Take the rolled blintz and generously roll in the butter.

Move to the sugar and roll being sure to cover the whole blintz.

Set in a baking dish.  Repeat the process until all the blintzes are coated.

Cover and freeze overnight.  My Sister-in-law typically makes these a week ahead.

Finish by baking in a 375 degree oven covered for 30 – 40 minutes.  Check them and make sure they are warm.  My family likes to eat them just this way.

Many people serve their blintzes with a dollop of sour cream and some jelly.  Enjoy!