Smoked Salmon Mousse Bites On Blinis

PREPARE THE MOUSSE THE DAY BEFORE: Soak the 2 sheets of gelatin in a bowl filled with cold water for 10 minutes to let them soften.

In a small saucepan, gently heat the 1/2 cup (125 grams) of heavy cream. The moment it begins to boil, reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Squeeze out any excess water from the softened gelatin sheets, then whisk them into the warm cream until they are completely dissolved. It's important not to boil the cream once the gelatin has been added.

Transfer this cream and gelatin mixture into a blender. Add the 7 ounces (200 grams) of smoked salmon, which should be cut into roughly 1-inch pieces, along with 1 teaspoon of chopped dill and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend for just a few seconds until the mixture becomes very smooth and uniform.

Prepare one or two silicone molds that have 25 to 30 cavities, each about 1 1/2 inches wide and 1/4 inch deep. Rinse the mold with cold water. Carefully spoon the mousse into the cavities, filling them to a depth of about 1/8 inch (3 mm), and smooth the tops. Place the mold in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours; leaving it overnight is ideal.

ASSEMBLE THE BITES (2 hours and 30 minutes before serving): Toast all the blinis in a toaster. Once toasted, carefully remove them and arrange them on a cooling rack. Let them cool completely for at least 15 minutes.

Once the blinis have fully cooled, arrange them on your serving platters. Gently unmold the frozen mousse disks and place one disk on top of each blini while they are still frozen. Refrigerate the platters for a minimum of 2 hours before you plan to serve.

Right before serving, add a small piece of smoked salmon (or a little lumpfish roe) and a tiny sprig of fresh dill to garnish each bite.

Tip: Don't discard any leftover dill sprigs! You can freeze them in a freezer-safe container to use in future recipes. This is a very convenient way to prevent waste.