Turns out, it’s none of the above. Even though popovers might taste like little pillows of heaven, they’re actually quite earthly to make. So easy, in fact, that I’ve been wearing out my new popover pan with a steamy batch almost daily. Yes, my popover obsession is both otherworldly and out of hand. And while I like to savor them, I’m not ruling out a game of Chubby Bunny this Thanksgiving either. Mmmm!
Below is my family’s tried-and-true recipe for popovers, the one I keep coming back to... my golden standard. And as friends have suggested, I’ve also been kicking this basic version up by adding chopped nuts, a pat of soft cheese, or a dollop of strawberry jam to each batter’d cup.
In our world of excess, it’s nice to find a recipe that’s as simple as it is scrumptious. But that doesn’t mean I don’t overindulge in the bad boys below. Happy Turkey Day!
CLASSIC POPOVERS
2 large eggs
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour (bread flour works best)
1/8 cup sugar (or less)
Preheat oven to 450. Beat egg, then add milk, melted butter, salt, flour, and sugar. Mix until smooth and well combined. Place popover pan (or muffin tin) in oven to heat for five minutes. Remove pan, spray with cooking spray, and fill cups about 1/2 to 2/3 with batter. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake until popovers are puffed and golden, 15-20 minutes more. Do not open oven door during baking or popovers may fall. Finally, remove popovers and use a knife to knock a small slit in the top of each popover to vent the steam. Return to oven and bake for 5-10 minutes more until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve hot. Makes 6 classic popovers, or 12 using a muffin tin.
NOTES: 1) I've taken to making the batter right in my large mixing cup, which makes for easy pouring into the pan. 2) Last night I tried using a muffin tin; the popovers cooked much faster and weren't quite as airy. Cook be that I overcooked them a bit, though.