‘The Popover Experiment’ – Recipe No. 3 …. Chewy Outside – Fluffy & Moist Inside (2024)

‘My Yellow Farmhouse Popovers’ – Chewy Outside – Fluffy & Moist Inside

++ UPDATE – – It’s ironic, sometimes, how something small may turn into something rather special. I had a huge urge for popovers, so I started preparing some about 9:00 tonight. A really good neighbor/friend who NEVER comes over late showed up…. with some problems. Let me tell you – two of these popovers, smothered in butter, and a glass of red wine – plus a good chat – seemed to be exactly what was needed!!

This is the final recipe of ‘The Popover Experiment’. I hope my little experiment enticed you to not only make popovers, but also to try a bit of experimenting on your own.As it turns out, these particular popovers – which I’m calling ‘My Yellow Farmhouse Popovers’ – are my favorites. My neighbor Frank, who’s sometimes a bit hard to please, said these are his favorites too. And I quote…”.. best popover yet. Nice buttery flavor, crispy on the outside and smooth & chewy on the inside.” Thanks Frank !!

I adapted this popover recipe from one featured onFLEUR de SEL, one of my favorite blogs.(The original recipe comes from Neiman Marcus.) FLEUR de SEL‘spopovers look yummy, so check out her recipe as part of your own ‘Popover Experiment’. (Mine look a bit “weird” compared to hers!) http://fleurdeselsf.com/2013/10/08/popovers-with-strawberry-butter/

If you’ve been following ‘The Popover Experiment’, you know I sometimes mess up when it comes to lowering the oven temperature approximately half way through the baking time…. well…. I did it AGAIN. The original recipe calls for the temperature to be lowered to 375F, yet, once again, I set the temperature at 350F. No matter, the popovers turned out great. I also changed the cooking time at 350F down to 20 minutes. The popovers looked done after 20 minutes at 350F – a nice dark, golden brown – so I took them out!

Tip !!If using older popover pans without nonstick coating, butter each section.

Tip !!If using muffin tins or ramekins, butter each section. You’re going to have too much batter for a six-cup muffin pan, so use a 12-cup pan. Fill each section 1/3 full, and fill any empty sections with water. The popovers won’t be as big as those made in the new style popover pans but they’ll be wonderful.

Yield – 6 popovers, if using a popover tin. 8 to 10 popovers,if using ramekins/muffin tin.

Ingredients & Method

+ Grease pans – recipe contains NO BUTTER !!

+ Oven at 450F for…. 15 minutes Then lower heat to 350F…. for 20 – 25 minutes

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 3/4 cup whole milk (You can try 2% if you wish but I recommend whole milk.)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking POWDER

‘The Popover Experiment’ – Recipe No. 3 …. Chewy Outside – Fluffy & Moist Inside (1)Put some verywarm water in a small bowl and place in the 3 eggs. Allow the eggs to sit in the water while you organize your ingredients.

Warm up 1 3/4 cups milk a bit in the microwave and set aside. (You don’t want the milk HOT, you’re just trying to take the chill out.)

In another bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, 3/4 tsp. salt & 1/2 tsp. baking POWDER.

‘The Popover Experiment’ – Recipe No. 3 …. Chewy Outside – Fluffy & Moist Inside (2)Remove the eggs from the warm water and break into a small bowl.(I suggest using a small bowl because the small size helps incorporateair into the eggs.) Beat eggs on HIGH speed for 3 minutes. The eggs will become foamy with a light lemon color.

Pour the well-beaten eggs into a large bowl. With the mixer now set on LOW, stir in the warmed milk. Mix the eggs and milk briefly. With the mixer again set on LOW, gradually combine the flour/salt/baking powder mixture.

Raise the mixer speed to MEDIUM and continue to beat for 2 minutes longer. By this time the batter will have become slightly thicker & nice and smooth.

‘The Popover Experiment’ – Recipe No. 3 …. Chewy Outside – Fluffy & Moist Inside (3)Fill the 6 GREASED sections of your popover pan equally – they’ll be about 3/4’s of the way full.

Now this is important – and I didn’t remember to do it!

++ Place a baking sheet on the lower shelf below the popovers. (To help with clean up, you might want to cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil.)

If you don’t place the pan on a baking sheet, you’ll end up will some lovely spills on the bottom of your oven – like I did !

Place your pan – set on a baking sheet – into the center of a 450F preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350F and bake for another 20 minutes. ++ Don’t be surprised if there’s a lot of steam coming out your oven vent when you bake these popovers. ++ If you popovers don’t look browned enough – bake for another 5 minutes. Ovens vary, so always be prepared to be flexible!

Pierce popovers with a sharp knife once you remove them from the oven so the steam can vent, then remove them from the pan. (I like to lay the popovers on their side to cool.) These are excellent at room temperature but, of course, they’re always best eaten right out of the oven.

‘The Popover Experiment’ – Recipe No. 3 …. Chewy Outside – Fluffy & Moist Inside (4)Here’s an idea for a lovely fruit butter you can spread on your nice, warm popovers. Believe me, I sure had a Happy Tummy when I was eating a few of these.

Beat 1 stick softened butter until light & fluffy. Add 1/4 cup preserves. I used cherry preserves but you could use strawberry or blueberry or even orange marmalade. Enjoy!!

+

‘The Popover Experiment’ – Recipe No. 3 …. Chewy Outside – Fluffy & Moist Inside (5)

‘The Popover Experiment’ – Recipe No. 3 ….  Chewy Outside – Fluffy & Moist Inside (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to popovers? ›

3 Tips for Making Popovers
  • Use a popover pan. The key to perfect popovers is using a popover pan. ...
  • Bake on the lower rack. Anticipate volume when baking popovers: Placing the pan too close to the top of the oven could result in scorching.
  • Avoid opening the oven door during the bake.

What is the science behind popovers? ›

The gluten in flour (and protein from the eggs) create the structure that traps steam in rising popovers. Without this structure, steam will escape like air from a punctured balloon, and your popovers will puddle, not pop.

Why aren t my popovers airy? ›

Too cold and you won't get the popovers to steam internally quickly enough. But be aware that you shouldn't make it too hot. If your milk and/or butter is hot enough to cook the eggs while mixing, the batter won't rise. Best to use all warm ingredients in the 40-50 degrees celsius (100-120 fahrenheit) range.

Can you save popover batter? ›

To make ahead: You can make the batter and refrigerate it for up to one day before baking. Just let the batter come to room temperature and whisk it well or whirl it in the blender for a few seconds before pouring it into the muffin tins. To store: Store baked and cooled popovers in a ziptop bag for up to a day.

What makes popovers dense? ›

If you add more flour, the batter will be heavier and the popovers won't rise quite as high. The lower the rise, the more dense the bread filling and the smaller the hollow center.

What is the biggest causes of popover failures? ›

Until last night…
  • Preheat your popover pan.
  • NEVER open the oven door while baking.
  • Use room temperature ingredients.
  • Use the freshest eggs possible.
Jun 22, 2016

Why does popover batter need to rest? ›

The flour needs some time to absorb into the liquid, which not only thickens the batter a bit, it also allows the gluten molecules to relax which makes for a lighter, not chewy popover. The resting period also makes the batter more velvety and helps allow air bubbles to release.

What causes popovers to fall? ›

When these airy baked goods aren't cooked enough, too much steam stays trapped inside. That moisture condenses once they're removed from the oven, causing them to collapse. The perfect popover, however, is easy to master. First, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.

What are some fun facts about popovers? ›

According to The Kitchn, popovers are airy and fluffy in nature—boasting a golden brown exterior like Yorkshire pudding. In fact, this pastry is made with a similar batter of flour, salt, eggs, milk, and butter. Another fun fact—a popover gets its name from the “dramatic rise” caused by the steam.

What is the best flour for popovers? ›

Not only were popovers made with bread flour about 30 percent taller than those made with all-purpose flour, but their higher walls were also thinner, making them a bit more crisp, and that crispness held up as they cooled. Bread flour was in. Next up: the milk.

Should popovers be hollow? ›

Whether you need a simple breakfast pastry or a carb-based side for dinner, these popovers are perfect. A popover is a light roll made from thin egg-based batter instead of yeast. They are very airy and hollow with a crispy golden exterior.

Are popovers supposed to be eggy? ›

Oh, the dilemma that so often stems from baking popovers — those hollowed rolls with a contrasting crunchy, flaky exterior and moist, eggy interior. They are the American relative to the British Yorkshire pudding, an evolution of the latter that disregards the use of beef drippings in the pan (and instead uses butter).

Should popover batter be cold or room temp? ›

Because popovers rely on steam to rise — as opposed to baking powder, baking soda, or yeast — you want your batter warm when entering the oven. This King Arthur Flour article says it best: “The warmer your batter going into the oven, the more quickly it'll produce steam: simple as that.” Use room-temperature eggs.

What can you use instead of a popover tin? ›

Using a Muffin Pan Instead of a Popover Pan

(Don't worry, they'll still be delicious.) To make, only fill the outer cups of the standard muffin tin with popover batter; they will get better circulation in the oven.

Why won t my popovers pop over? ›

If you try to use cold ingredients, the popovers won't “pop” right and will be dense and heavy, instead of airy and majestic. Since the dish calls for only five ingredients – eggs, milk, butter, flour and salt - it's pretty simple to get them to room temperature with a little forethought.

Should you let popover batter rest? ›

So we tested ways to make a standard muffin pan work. For maximum puff, we needed as thin and wet a batter as possible. We started by using low-fat milk instead of whole. We also let the batter rest for 25 minutes to give the flour time to fully hydrate.

How do you stop popovers from deflating? ›

Popovers are best served immediately. They will, unfortunately, begin to collapse after a few minutes outside of the oven. One way to help prevent this is to puncture the top and/or side of the popover with the tip of a small, sharp knife to help release some of the steam trapped inside.

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