A beloved staple in Maine's culinary culture, popovers are light, airy rolls with a delicate balance of textures—crispy on the outside and soft and airy on the inside. Popovers are traditionally served alongside homemade seafood chowders and soups, but their versatility makes them a perfect addition to any meal, from breakfast to dinner. Made from a simple egg batter, popovers puff up impressively in the oven, creating hollow centers that are ideal for holding butter, jam, or gravy.
INGREDIENTS:
Vegetable oil*
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, melted
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 450°F and position a rack on a lower shelf of the oven.
Generously brush the sides and top edges of a non-stick popover pan (with 12 cups) with vegetable oil. Alternately, 12 custard cups or ramekins set on a baking pan can be used, or a standard muffin tin.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Beat eggs with milk until thoroughly combined. Whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is frothy. Stir in melted butter and combine quickly. The batter will be thin. Transfer batter to a large Pyrex measuring cup with a pouring spout or large pitcher and cover. Let batter rest at room temperature for least 15 minutes before baking.
Place the popover pans in the oven for exactly 2 minutes to preheat.
Fill the heated popover wells less than half full.
REDUCE oven temperature to 425° and bake for 15 minutes then LOWER the oven temperature to 350°and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. (When you lower the oven temperature do not open oven door.) Our popovers are usually done by 32 minutes (total baking time).
Serve warm immediately with softened butter to accompany your favorite chowder or seafood bisque.
YIELD: 12 popovers
*Vegetable oil or clarified butter works best. If serving with roast beef or turkey, consider adding a little fat from the drippings to the vegetable oil for even more flavor. We find that using a generous teaspoon of fat for each well works best to prevent sticking.
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