Dishes that were popular and now out of favor are finding their way back into my kitchen. For a while I was nuts over savory soufflés (never much liked the sweet variety) and for a short time several summers ago I revived the classic quiche to serve to lunch guests on North Haven. But most recently my attention has turned to popovers.
Popovers fresh out of the oven.
It’s a bread that’s in a class of its own. They’re really the American version of Yorkshire pudding that relies on an egg and milk batter that rises magically in the oven without any leavening whatsoever.
When I have friends over for dinner I generally include homemade biscuits to go with the meal. I like classic southern style buttermilk biscuits that I serve fresh out of the oven.
On a timing basis these are a bit of a nuisance–and messy to make–to fit easily into the logistics of preparing a dinner of several courses. But popovers are a cinch to put together at the last minute. Mix eggs and milk, add melted butter then whisk in flour and salt until very nearly smooth. It’s OK ifd there are little lumps and air bubbles–they aid in their rising high and might. But a fairly smooth batter works well, too.
You can use muffin tins, but it’s worth investing in popover pans, which are taller and straight sided than the muffin tins. You must preheat the tins greased for about 2 minutes before filling. Or look into finding vintage cast-iron popover or muffin tins. Lodge offers them on their website.
Preferably use a special popover pan
And when baking, don’t even think of opening the oven door. They will collapse if you do. If you must check on them turn on the oven light. They should be nicely golden brown, risen high and look firm.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 eggs
- Generous pinch sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- More butter, for greasing tins
- 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Whisk the milk, eggs, salt and sugar together until nicely combined in a glass 1-quart measuring bowl with spout. Stir in melted butter.
- Whisk in the flour to egg mixture, whisking until nicely smooth. Let rest 20 minutes on the counter.
- Meanwhile generously butter the popover tins. Put in the oven about 2 to 5 minutes before you plan on adding the batter. Remove tins from oven; they should be very hot. If butter has browned too much pour out some of the berowned butter that colleccts at the bottom of the tin, leaving a good coating in the pan and that the entire tin is well buttered.
- Add the egg and flour mixture filling cups about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Put on parchment lined baking sheet large enough to hold the pan with plenty of room to spare. Use a large baking sheet. This is important because while baking the butter could seep onto your oven floor and create quite a mess.
- Bake for 15 minutes and lower temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the popovers are well risen and nicely colored. Remove from oven and servce immediately
