Lifestyles: Savory Popovers
{Stock Photography}
Clarence-Vernon Hargrave
Popovers are one of my favorite items to bake.
They are such an easy and classic addition to any menu. These buttery and airy rolls go great with all meals and are an elegant addition to your next occasion. Sometimes also called Yorkshire Pudding, popovers are light and slightly spongy with a crispy exterior.
The steam created by the temperature of the oven makes them rise tall and pillowy.
I customize my popovers each time that I make them by adding different herbs and seasonings such as chives, basil, cracked black pepper, coarse sea salt and sage.
When I really want to add another level of flavor I add a robust cheese.
One thing that is different about my recipe for popovers is the fact that I use butter instead of beef tallow. Using butter rather than beef tallow makes the popovers less dense. Another item that will give your popovers height is an actual popover pan.
The design of the deep cups of the popover pan aids the batter in achieving the iconic look and rise. If you do not have a popover pan you can use a regular muffin pan.
Making popovers is much easier than you may think. My recipe has just a few ingredients that combine to give you a very impressive finished product.
These popovers go great with a delicious bowl of soup, a fresh salad or a juicy cut of prime rib. For breakfast or brunch they can be served plain or dusted with powdered sugar and accompanied with a homemade strawberry butter, just like in the ritzy department store in New York City.
What flavors will you combine to make this popover recipe all your own?
My Basic Popover Recipe
Ingredients
4 large eggs , at room temperature (leave out for 2 hours)
1 1/2 cups whole milk , also at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , well measured
1 stick of melted salted butter, cooled (let sit 10 minutes after melting before using)
1 cup of grated sharp cheddar or your favorite grated cheese (optional)
1 tablespoon of chives or your favorite herb (optional)
Directions
Preheat Oven to 450 degrees F and put your oven rack on the lower middle level of the oven.
Blend the eggs, milk, and salt with a hand mixer
Add in flour, (herbs and cheese if using) blend for 1 minute.
Drizzle in 5 tablespoons of the melted butter.
Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
Warm up the muffin or Popover pan in the hot oven for 5 minutes, then coat generously on top and inside with nonstick spray and carefully spoon in ½ teaspoon of melted butter into each slot.
Fill the slots with the batter, leaving a small 1/4 inch space at top of the slots when full.
Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for another 10 minutes. Don’t open the oven door while they’re baking, this could cause them to deflate. If using a muffin pan you may need to remove the Popovers at this point.
Remove the Popovers from the oven and pierce the golden brown tops of each roll with the tip of a sharp knife to release the steam so that they do not become soggy from the trapped steam.
Slip them out of the hot pan and serve immediately or cool on a wire rack so that they remain crispy.
To rewarm your Popovers, place in a 350°F oven or an air fryer for about 5 minutes until warm and crispy again. They can also be frozen in an airtight container for over a month. Reheat the same as above but for up to 10 minutes.
Strawberry Compound Butter
1 cup of butter (salted or unsalted depends on your preference)
1 cup Strawberry Preserves
With a hand mixed blend the two ingredients until whipped and well combined. Scrape into a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until semi-firm. Serve with your fresh Popovers, Store unused Strawberry Butter covered in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
