Friday, July 2, 2010

Mile High Popovers



Isn't it amazing how a little bit of batter can turn into something many times its original size after only a few minutes in a hot oven?  Popovers are  perfect  with the fresh fruit jams that so many of us are making now because the eggy interior holds onto the the fruit fillings and the crust can wrap around a generous spoonful of jam and keep it from falling out. I've made popovers for years and have always used a recipe in my McCall's cookbook that I received as a shower gift before I got married.  It's a basic popover recipe that always turns out like it's supposed to so I never questioned that there might be something better out there until I ran across this recipe in the FoodDay section of the Portland Oregonian.  




The ingredients in this recipe are the same but the quantities differ greatly from my old recipe and the baking procedure bears no resemblance.  I'm usually game for something new and was intrigued by the claim that these popovers are mile high and the best I will ever eat.

Popovers are steam leavened and the key is to get the batter hot fast so steam is produced to inflate it into balloon like structures before a top crust is formed.  A pizza stone is heated in a hot oven, the empty pan is heated on the hot pizza stone, ingredients are warmed or at room temperature so the batter builds up steam fast and puffs to great heights.

Mile High Popovers...from " Bakewise" by Shirley Corriher


5 eggs
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1-3/4 cups bread flour
1/3 cup whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon salt


Place the 5 eggs in a bowl of very hot tap water to warm. After about 10 minutes drain and cover again with very hot tap water.


In a heavy saucepan, warm the milk until it feels warm to the touch.  Place the flour in a large mixing bowl (if you have a large measuring cup with a spout, that is great for pouring the batter later).  With a fork or whisk, beat in the milk a little at a time to prevent forming lumps.  Allow flour/milk mixture to stand at room temperature for at least an hour.


About 30 minutes before you bake the popovers arrange a shelf in the lower third of the oven with a baking stone on it and preheat the over to 475 degrees.  If you think your oven is low, turn it to 500 degrees.  It is important that the oven be very hot. After the flour mixture has stood for at least an hour, place the popover pan in the oven on the stone to heat.  


Separate 3 eggs, saving the whites and discarding or saving the yolks.  Beat the 2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites together, and then beat the egg mixture into the flour mixture.


Heat the cream almost to a boil.  Sprinkle salt over the batter and whisk in the hot cream.


Pull the popover pan out of the oven.  Place the pan over the sink. Spray one cup of the popover pan well with nonstick cooking spray and immediately pour batter into that cup, filling about three-quarters full. This 6-cup batch of filling is exactly enough for 6 cups.  Repeat spraying and then filling each cup.  Place the popover pan on the hot stone and bake for 9 minutes. DO NOT open the oven.  Turn down the heat to 425 degrees and bake for 7 minutes more.  DO NOT open the oven.  Turn down the heat to 325 degrees, and leave the popovers in 30 minutes more to dry them out. 


Dump popovers out on a rack to cool briefly.  Serve immediately with good butter and preserves.  You can make these several hours ahead and rewarm in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes.  When they are completely cool you can seal them in a heavy freezer zip-top bag and freeze.


This recipe is more complicated than my old standby because of the fussing with ingredients and the need to watch oven times, but it was fun to make and, although my popovers aren't a mile high, they did reach almost 6 inches tall when they just came out of the oven.  I think that's pretty impressive.


This popover has more substance than my old recipe and holds up well to  butter and jam.  A friend fills popovers with a chicken a la king type of filling and I think I'm going to try her way next time I bake them. There are lots of possibilities here. I can picture a scoop of scrambled eggs inside a warm popover.  Dungeness crab and sauteed mushrooms perhaps, or warm berries and ice cream. I hope you will give this recipe a try, and then let me know how you've served them. 
 Bon Appetit.

I always look forward to Friday and the wonderful get-together that goes on at
Designs by Gollum.  Michael hosts the best parties and the guest list is impressive.  I hope you will drop by and visit the other participants.  It's a holiday weekend and it should be very festive. 

 Happy 4th of July!

35 comments:

  1. Cathy, I have never made popovers before, but thesse look so delicious and your instructions are so thorough that I'm going to try them. I am blessed to have a kitchen supply store close by so I'll go get the popover pans today on my errands.

    My family will love these and be amazed at my (our) handiwork!
    I'm happy to have this new and impressive new recipe!
    You do everything with such a flair!
    Thanks!
    Yvonne

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  2. I would really like to try Popovers. I've never had them. Probably with me trying this recipe is that I don't have a pizza stone or a popover pan.

    I will be on the look out for both (reasonably priced) now. I really want to try making some because they look great. The best part is no yeast. Yes, I'm still scared of yeast.....

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  3. I love popovers. I don't know why, but the one and only time I make them, is at Christmas time with prime rib. Yours look yummy with the jam!

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  4. Hi Cathy,
    They look so moist and yummy!!!
    Cheers,
    Lia.

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  5. Have a wonderful July 4th. I have no doubt ut will be filled with great food and family:D

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  6. Cathy...I am a HUGE fan of both popovers and yorkshire pudding. I have a vintage cast iron popover pan that I just adore using. Your photos and popovers are wonderful :)

    Blessings!
    Gail

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  7. Cathy, I need to stop coming by when I haven't eaten because now, I'm craving bread! LOL! And you know what that means... I will eat a loaf! ;-)

    These look great!

    Hope you and yours have a super Fourth of July!

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  8. I just knew I was going to regret getting rid of that pizza stone! I never used it and gave it to the Salvation Army - is there a substitute?

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  9. Boy, those are tall. I believe I can count the number of times Bev has made popovers on a finger or two.

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  10. Wow Cathy! These are definitely the highest of all. I'll look these up in my Bakewise book. Only problem is I'm going to have to invest in a popover pan!

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  11. These are gorgeous popovers Cathy! I haven't had one in ages...I think I'll change that now.
    Have a great 4th!

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  12. Your pictures are wonderful! I have not made popovers in a long time.
    Are the flowers on your header Zinnias? very nice and new for me. We put some in our liitle patch in front of the house and the flowers are coming out; just beautiful.
    Rita

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  13. Bonjour Cathy,
    I've never made popovers, but these look so impressive I have to try.
    Wishing you a wonderful 4th!
    Mimi

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  14. I love popovers but have never tried to make them. We have a local restaurant that serves them as an appetizer as part of your meal, and I like to go there just for the popovers because they are so good. I would love to try making them. That recipe with filling them with chicken a la king sounds great too:)

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  15. Those look wonderful Cathy. Another keeper for my file.

    Thanks!
    Tamara

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  16. Beautiful Cathy! I am married to a Martha Stewart recipe for popovers I have been using for years but I am game to try this one...
    Thanks for posting! Beautiful pics!

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  17. Confession...I have never made these. There use to be a place in Scarsdale NY that was owned by Dina Shore and they had pop overs and we only ate them there. I think the last time I actually ate one was there about 50 years ago. Talk about showing my age:-) Happy 4th of July.
    Joyce

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  18. We love popovers especially for Sunday breakfast and even though they are a "quick" bread I forget that the quick is around a half hour-- so usually, no Sunday popovers for us! I'll have to try this recipe the next time I REMEMBER at least 45 min before I want to serve breakfast . . . .

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  19. I'm coveting your popover pan. I've tried it in a muffin pan, but they weren't nearly as pretty as yours are. Enjoy them with your family and happy 4th!

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  20. We call this Yorkshire pudding in the UK, I've always wanted to make this, yours look great!

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  21. My brain is stuck on popovers only with prime rib, but I'm so glad to see these used with jam. They'd make a perfect breakfast.

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  22. Cathy your popovers are really amazingly high! I am so impressed! I have never tasted these before, looks absolutely delicious!

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  23. Cathy, I LOVE popovers. Great with scrambled eggs, chicken or shrimp salad- endless possibilities! Great post!
    xoxo Pattie

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  24. They look wonderful! I can't believe Yvonne has never made popovers!
    Happy July 4th, Cathy! We are in crazy mode here! :)

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  25. These look perfectly done and I know they are perfectly delicious. I love to see them used for desserts and snacks as well as gravy. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  26. Those are the best looking popovers I have ever seen.

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  27. Yum! Popovers. Mine never look as good as yours.

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  28. How fun. Can't wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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  29. Cathy...those popovers are impressive indeed.
    I have yet to make them. Maybe, it's because I don't have that wonderful pan?
    I get the feeling you may stick to your original recipe...you don't seem to be one that likes to fuss too much?!?
    You did however do a great job ;o)
    Flavourful wishes and Happy 4th of July,
    Claudia

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  30. Hi Cathy!
    I love your blog! I am the one who visited you today at the market with my friend, who raved about A) your granola & B)your blog, especially they crepes!
    we loved the noodle guy across the way!

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  31. These are beautiful! I love your first photo! I've never tried making popovers but I do so love them. I'll have to give this one a go. I know my kids would love them too! :)

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  32. Wow, Cathy, these are fabulous! I used to make popovers regularly years ago from a Vegetarian Epicur recipe but since they flopped once I haven't made them since. I am so going to try your recipe here. Fabulous!

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  33. Cathy those look wonderful! I keep eyeing popover pans but have never taken the leap to buy one. Looking at these I may just have to change my mind...

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Thanks so much for visiting. I hope you enjoyed my blog and will leave a comment or two. And come back again of course ~ Cathy