Blinis with Fruits and Applesauce

In a mixing bowl, stir the yeast into the milk until blended. Add the flour, water, salt, sugar and cocoa to the yeast milk mixture and stir into a smooth heavy batter. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour in a warm place.

Rinse the pears, cut into quarters, and remove the cores and stems. Cut into wedges. Rinse the blackberries, drain well, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and let stand for 10 minutes.

Heat the clarified butter in a sauté pan and drop spoonsful of batter into the butter (work in batches to avoid crowding the pan). Cook on the first side until browned, turn and finish on the second side. Continue until all of the batter has been made into blinis. Transfer to a pan as they finish cooking and keep warm in the oven.