Blinis With Goat Cheese & Pear

Sweet & Savoury Canapés:

I have used this combination of ingredients many times when wanting to showcase both sweet & savoury canapés.

The blini itself is a soft, spongy little pillow, a mini pancake if you like & the perfect canapé base that supports everything piled on top without competing for attention.

Goat cheese, prosciutto, pear, honey & walnuts have long been a winning combination, with so many ways you can present them…on a crostini, in the pear itself, baked, fresh, in witlof leaves, rolled in a crepe or on a blini to name a few.

For these sweet & savoury canapés, the whipped goat cheese is creamy, tangy, and just sharp enough to wake up your palate.

The pear brings sweetness along with the honey, giving it gloss & the salty element is in the prosciutto, which whether served crispy or fresh, still helps to bring together the other flavours.

Add a little fresh thyme bringing its own signature herby fragrance that feels earthy- while candied walnuts provide the crackle…that addictive crunch.

Every mouthful has contrast: soft and crisp, creamy and sticky, salty and sweet.

Appetisers like these are edible icebreakers- the perfect opener to any conversation.

There’s nothing complicated about making them…you can whip the cheese and candy the walnuts ahead of time, then assemble when you’re ready to serve.

A quick drizzle of honey over the top right before they hit the table gives them a glossy finish that looks inviting to your guests.

These sweet & salty blinis have it all, elegant enough for a festive platter, but simple enough to make just because…a brilliant little base for appetisers.

Sometimes, the higher you pile the ingredients (within reason), the fancier they can look.

I love them because they give you room to be creative while keeping things simple.

You can save on time by buying ready made toppings, but sometimes it is nicer to go that extra little effort for flavour.

Right before serving, I give them a quick drizzle of honey so they glisten just enough to tempt.

I love blinis for low-stress, casual entertaining, but if you want to dress them up for that cocktail event, they do the job for that as well.

They’re bite-sized luxury without any of the fuss.

A lifesaver & a last minute option when you don’t have time on your side.

When I am serving a crowd, I like to balance things with a variety of bases-

• Crunchy (crostini mini toasts, breads, tostadas, rice crackers, rice paper crisps, crackers, potato/ chip, crispy rice)

• Soft or pillowy (blinis, crepes or wraps)
• Proteins- meats, seaweed, cheese, eggs

• Pastry (vol au vents, tartlets, dumpling, wonton, cannoli, cones)
• Fruit (apple, pear, apricots, Medjool Dates, Plums, pineapple
• Veges (lettuce, cabbage, tomato, eggplant, peppers, potato, cucmber, Figs, plus some wraps, some rolls, some roll ups

I like to create a menu to cater for everyone as much as possible- vegetarian, vegan, seafood, meat & sweet bites (keeping in mind guests with allergies).

And just as much as the food itself matters, I try to keep things interesting with a mix of serving boards, platters, ceramic spoons, shot glasses, cupcake holders, skewers or canapé cups & dishes for presentation sake.

Give these sweet & savoury canapés a try…Enjoy!

Blinis With Goat Cheese & Honeyed Pear

(Serves 16 Prep 30 Mins)

You Will Need:

Blinis: Blinis are essentially mini pikelets or pancakes. They are soft, fluffy bite-sized rounds that act as the perfect base for both sweet and savoury toppings. You can make them from scratch but why would you bother, when you can buy them ready-made…a convenience worth investing in. They come in a pack of 16, so there is never any wastage and I have in the past, frozen any excess without issue.

Goat Cheese: I use this cheese a lot. It has a flavour all of its own. I buy it from Aldi as it is a bit cheaper and I just get the plain one and add herbs etc to it. It is creamy, tangy & that pairs beautifully with sweet elements like pear or honey, and balances the richness of cured meats. You can also buy a herbed one.

Greek Yoghurt: I use Greek yoghurt alot as I love the tang and the fact that it is healthy. Thick and slightly tart, it can be whisked into spreads, lightened with herbs, or folded into cheese mixtures for a smoother, fresher & lighter finish.

Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is mild, smooth, and spreadable, it provides a neutral base that can carry both savoury herbs or sweet drizzles. You can omit this cheese, it is not compulsory, I had some in the fridge & to be perfectly honest, my cheese mix ended up a little runny this time round, so I used it more to thicken the mixture up, but at the same time, it added its own creaminess.

Dill: A fresh, grassy herb with a slight anise note, absolutely perfect for cutting through the richness of dairy. Often used to brighten seafood-inspired toppings, I love this herb so much, it goes in a lot of my recipes to give them a fresh lift.

Parsley: Adds freshness, colour, and a mild peppery edge, balancing heavier flavours like cheese and prosciutto. I use flat-leaf parsley more often than curly leaf. Its another regular in my kitchen.

Garlic Clove: You know me, everything needs garlic! It adds savoury depth when roasted, minced raw, or infused into olive oil for drizzling. It is raw in this recipe. You don’t need to go overboard, just a couple of cloves.

Olive Oil: I add a splash of garlic-infused Olive oil to deepen that savoury edge. Plain extra virgin olive oil is fine too but add it at the end little by little, so you don’t end up with a runny mixture.

Prosciutto: Prosciutto is a type of cured Italian ham with salty, savoury depth that pairs beautifully with cheese, fruit, and honey. Similarly Serrano ham would do the same thing. I have crisped it up in the air fryer this time.

Parmesan: Parmesan is a hard Italian cheese that is sharp, nutty and salty. A little shredded Parmesan on top of your blini adds a savoury variant.

Butter: Cook the pear in unsalted butter to give it a beautiful rich texture & taste.

Pear: I have used a couple of different pears, more for colour contrast. Choose ripe pears for best result. They are sweet, juicy, and slightly floral, offering a refreshing contrast to creamy cheeses and savoury toppings. The pear can be served fresh, poached, or caramelised.

Manuka Honey: Manuka honey is amazing. Great for antibacterial properties actually but is a floral, earthy honey from New Zealand with complex flavour; wonderful for drizzling over cheese and pear for balance. I have poured it into the butter and pear, slightly caramelising it.

Walnuts: Walnuts are not your only option here & they are not my go to choice of nut, however, they work beautifully with these other ingredients. Crunchy, earthy nuts that add texture and pair especially well with blue or goat cheese, pear, and honey. Lightly toasting them enhances their nuttiness & with a little sugar creates a nut praline to garnish your blini with. Pecans would be an ideal alternative.

Sugar: You don’t need alot of sugar but I have used white, you could use brown if you preferred. The sugar is to create the nut toffee to crush and garnish your blinis with.

Thyme: Earthy and aromatic, thyme works well with both sweet and savoury toppings. Sage or rosemary are good alternatives. Definitely use fresh herbs though.

Instructions:

Prepare the Goat Cheese Whip

Begin by preparing the cheese mixture. Place the goat cheese, Greek yoghurt, and cream cheese into the clean bowl of a mini food processor. Add the fresh dill, parsley, peeled garlic cloves, and a drizzle of olive oil. Pulse the mixture in short bursts at first, then blend until the herbs are finely chopped and the mixture becomes smooth, creamy, and light. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, if too thick add a little more oil, then transfer the mixture to a small bowl, cover, and set aside while you prepare the toppings.

Crisp the Prosciutto

Next, crisp the prosciutto. Separate the slices carefully and lay them in a single layer in the basket of an air fryer. Cook at 200°C for about 10 minutes, then check their progress. Prosciutto can go from soft to crisp quite quickly, so continue cooking in 1-minute intervals until the slices are evenly golden and brittle. Once ready, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towel to cool completely- they will crisp further as they cool.

Caramelise the Pear

For the pear, melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium–high heat. When the butter is foaming, add the diced pear and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to soften and take on a little golden colour around the edges. Drizzle in the Manuka honey and continue to cook, gently stirring, until the slices are glossy and lightly caramelised. Remove the pan from the heat and set the pear aside to cool to room temperature.

Make the Walnut Praline

Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the chopped walnuts evenly over it. Place the sugar into a clean, dry pan and set over medium–high heat. Allow the sugar to melt slowly without stirring- swirl the pan gently if needed- until it turns a rich golden caramel. Keep an eye, as it can quickly burn, which you don’t want. Working quickly, pour the hot caramel over the chopped walnuts, ensuring they are coated. Leave the praline to cool and harden completely. Once set, break it into shards with your hands or crush it with a rolling pin. For a finer crumb, transfer the pieces to a food processor and pulse briefly until you have a coarse, crunchy crumb.

Assemble the Blinis

To assemble the blinis, fit a piping bag with your chosen tip (I used a large round) and fill it with the goat cheese mixture. Arrange the blinis neatly on a serving board or platter. Pipe a generous swirl of the cheese mixture onto the centre of each blini. Top each one with a small spoonful of the honeyed pear, followed by a crisp shard of prosciutto. Sprinkle a little of the walnut praline crumb over the top for crunch.

Garnish

Finish these sweet & savoury canapés with a tiny sprig of fresh thyme or a scattering of leaves. Serve immediately while the toppings are still crisp and the blinis are fresh. You can drizzle a little more honey over the assembled blinis right before serving.

Enjoy!

Helpful Hints

• You want the goat cheese whip to be easily piped, without being too runny, so add all the ingredients except the Greek yoghurt & Olive oil and gauge how thick the cheese is then, add a little of each at a time. You can purchase one use piping bags & reuseable large piping tips here.

• I left the candied walnuts chunky for a bit of texture and crunch but, you could throw them into a mini chopper to get finer candied walnuts, more like a crumb.

• It is easy enough to modify this recipe to suit dietary needs ie: eliminate the meat if you want vegetarian, or use a vegan cheese if you are vegan.

• It is not mandatory to use Manuka honey for these sweet & savoury canapés, any honey is fine, so go with what you have on hand. I just had some Manuka honey in the pantry, so I went with that.

• There are a couple of varieties of blini available at the supermarkets in Queensland, one brand available at Woolworths or Coles, in the refrigerator section, near the seafood, which are quite firm and not particularly fresh. The other ones that are available at IGA & are mini pikelets by Golden bakery and are found in the fresh bread section. These ones I recommend as they are really soft and pillowy.

• If you lean more toward savoury flavours, you can adjust the honey and eliminate the praline, topping with plain walnuts, but the flavours in these sweet & savoury canapés work well (even for me- a predominantly savoury tooth)

Blinis With Goat Cheese & Honeyed Pear

Recipe

(Serves 16 Prep 30)

Ingredients

• 16 Blinis (Mini Pikelets)
• 110gm Goat Cheese
• 1 Tbsp Greek Yoghurt
• 80gm Cream Cheese
• 1 Tbsp chopped Dill
• 1 Tbsp chopped Parsley
• 2 Garlic Clove
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 100gm Prosciutto
• 1 Tbsp Shredded Parmesan
• 30gm Butter
• 1 green Pear
• 1 Yellow Pear
• 1 Tbsp Manuka Honey
• 1/4 Cup Walnuts
• 1/4 Cup White Sugar
• Fresh Thyme (Garnish)

Method

1. Place the goat cheese, Greek yoghurt, cream cheese (if using), dill, parsley, garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil into the bowl of a mini food processor. Blend until smooth, creamy, and well combined.
2. Arrange the prosciutto slices in the basket of an air fryer and cook at 200°C for 10 minutes. Check for crispness, then continue cooking in 1-minute intervals until the slices are golden and brittle. Set aside to cool.
3. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the pear slices and sauté until lightly golden. Drizzle in the honey and continue to cook, stirring, until the pear caramelises. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. For the walnut praline, heat the sugar in a clean pan over medium-high heat until it melts and turns a rich golden colour. Quickly pour the caramel over the chopped walnuts arranged on a tray lined with baking paper. Leave to set. Once hardened, break the praline into shards or crush it with a rolling pin. For a finer crumb, pulse briefly in the food processor.
5. Transfer the goat cheese mixture to a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip. Pipe a generous swirl onto each blini. Top with caramelised pear and shards of crispy prosciutto.
6. Finish with a sprinkling of walnut toffee crumb and a few fresh thyme leaves for garnish.

Serve & Enjoy!

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

Sparkling Wine – Brut Champagne or Prosecco

The bubbles cut through the creaminess of the goat cheese and balance the saltiness of the prosciutto, while still complementing the honeyed pear’s sweetness. Prosecco leans toward fruitier, Champagne more toasty- both work well with these sweet & savoury canapés.

White Wine – Viognier or Pinot Gris

Viognier brings floral notes and a touch of stone fruit that play nicely with the pear and honey, while Pinot Gris is crisp and refreshing, helping to balance the richness of the goat cheese and walnut.

Rosé – Dry Provençal Rosé

A pale, dry rosé offers fresh acidity with subtle berry flavours that sit well against the salty-sweet combo of prosciutto and pear. It’s light enough to keep the appetiser feeling delicate.

Dessert Wine – Sauternes or Late Harvest Riesling (served lightly chilled)

If you want to lean into the sweetness, a small pour of Sauternes or Riesling pairs beautifully with the honey, pear, and candied walnuts while still having enough acidity to avoid being sickly.

Other Blini Recipes:

Smoked Salmon Blinis

Blinis With Avocado & Quail Eggs

Other Goat Cheese Recipes:

Pear Goat’s Cheese & Prosciutto

Radicchio, Goat Cheese & Caramelised Pear

Medjool Dates With Whipped Goat’s Cheese & Honey

Crispy Goat’s Cheese With Rocket Pesto