Popovers as Promised

Popovers are a wonderful thing - sorta, kinda biscuits, but not really. They're rich and eggy like brioche, they rise in the oven like souffle, but they are undoubtedly a bread, a lovely, lovely buttery bread, made in a mold like a deep muffin tin.  

In taste, they come closest to Yorkshire pudding or James' mom's Dutch Babies (from what he's told me - I never had the honor of tasting them myself). 

Having written all of that, there is no way I can adequately convey the wonderfulness of the popover, so here is a photo of my most recent batch and the recipe that produced them so that you can make your own batch. They are sooooooo lovely-good.

*This recipe is adapted from the January 2009 issue of Cook's Country Magazine.

Ingredients:

-Vegetable shortening or butter to grease the popover pan

-3 large eggs

-2 cups of low-fat milk (2% is best), heated to 110 degrees

-3 tbs. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

-2 cups bread flour (you can use all-purpose, but the Popovers won't rise as high or be as sturdy)

-1 tsp. salt

-1 tsp. sugar

Process:

1. Grease the interior of a 6 cup popover pan and dust lightly with flour.

2. Whisk eggs until very light and fluffy in a medium bowl (I use a stand mixer, but you can do it by hand).

3. Slowly whisk in the milk and butter until incorporated.

4. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.

5. Whisk three-quarters of the milk mixture into flour mixture. Mix until no lumps remain. Whisk in the rest of the milk mixture.

6. Cover batter bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for one hour.

7. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and adjust rack to lower medium position.

8. Whisk the batter lightly to recombine, then pour into prepared popover pan. The batter will not quite reach the top of the cups. 

9. Bake until just beginning to brown. About 20 min. Without opening the oven door, decrease the oven temperature to 300 degrees and continue to bake until the popovers are golden brown all over, about 30-35 minutes.

10. Poke a small hole in the top of each popover with a toothpick to help the steam escape. Bake for about 10 more minutes or until the popovers are a deep golden brown.

11. Transfer popover pan to a wire rack. Poke each popover again with a toothpick. Let them cool of 2 minutes. Then turn them out of their pan and serve plain, buttered, with jam or lemon curd or cream, as dessert, or breakfast, or a dinner side. 

* If you don't have a popover pan, you can make them in a 12 cup muffin tin. They won't rise as high, but they'll still be yummy. Fill only the outer cups to 1/4 inch from top. Reduce initial baking time from 20 to 15 min, and reduce secondary baking time from 30-35 min, to 20-25 min. after the oven temperature is lowered.