Giant Puffy Popovers (Steam Is the Only Leavening They Need)
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Per serving
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- 1
Preheat and grease HOT
Preheat your oven to 450F and let it get there fully before you even think about batter. Using about 1/2 teaspoon of the shortening per cup, grease the bottoms and sides of six 6-oz custard cups or a popover pan. If you're using custard cups, set them on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Here's the thing that trips people up: popovers have no baking powder, no yeast, nothing. The ONLY thing lifting them is steam, and steam needs a screaming-hot oven to form fast enough to blow the batter up into a hollow shell before the crust sets. A lukewarm oven gives you sad little pucks.
- 2
Make a thin, smooth batter
In a small bowl, beat the eggs well. Blend in the whole milk and the melted butter. Now beat in the flour and salt just until smooth, then STOP. Do not overbeat. The batter should be thin and pourable, roughly the consistency of heavy cream. Why so thin and why not overwork it? A loose, high-liquid batter has tons of water to flash into steam, and light mixing keeps gluten from tightening up into a rubbery web that would trap the puff. You want stretchy-but-relaxed, not tough.
- 3
Fill halfway and bake without peeking
Fill each cup only half full, leaving lots of headroom for the climb. Bake at 450F for 15 minutes to hit them with that initial blast of heat, then reduce to 350F and bake until very firm, about 30 minutes longer. Do NOT open the oven door during baking. Every time you crack it, the temperature drops and the steam that's holding the walls up collapses, and a half-risen popover will deflate on the spot. Trust the glass.
- 4
Prick and serve immediately
Pull them out when they're deep golden and firm to the touch. Immediately prick each popover once with a knife or skewer to let the trapped steam escape, otherwise that same steam turns to condensation inside and goes soggy. Serve right away while the shell is shatter-crisp outside and the inside is all custardy hollow. Butter, jam, or a puddle of gravy all belong here.
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Giant Puffy Popovers (Steam Is the Only Leavening They Need)
Created by: TheBreadNerd
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp shortening
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat and grease HOTPreheat your oven to 450F and let it get there fully before you even think about batter. Using about 1/2 teaspoon of the shortening per cup, grease the bottoms and sides of six 6-oz custard cups or a popover pan. If you're using custard cups, set them on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Here's the thing that trips people up: popovers have no baking powder, no yeast, nothing. The ONLY thing lifting them is steam, and steam needs a screaming-hot oven to form fast enough to blow the batter up into a hollow shell before the crust sets. A lukewarm oven gives you sad little pucks.
- Make a thin, smooth batterIn a small bowl, beat the eggs well. Blend in the whole milk and the melted butter. Now beat in the flour and salt just until smooth, then STOP. Do not overbeat. The batter should be thin and pourable, roughly the consistency of heavy cream. Why so thin and why not overwork it? A loose, high-liquid batter has tons of water to flash into steam, and light mixing keeps gluten from tightening up into a rubbery web that would trap the puff. You want stretchy-but-relaxed, not tough.
- Fill halfway and bake without peekingFill each cup only half full, leaving lots of headroom for the climb. Bake at 450F for 15 minutes to hit them with that initial blast of heat, then reduce to 350F and bake until very firm, about 30 minutes longer. Do NOT open the oven door during baking. Every time you crack it, the temperature drops and the steam that's holding the walls up collapses, and a half-risen popover will deflate on the spot. Trust the glass.
- Prick and serve immediatelyPull them out when they're deep golden and firm to the touch. Immediately prick each popover once with a knife or skewer to let the trapped steam escape, otherwise that same steam turns to condensation inside and goes soggy. Serve right away while the shell is shatter-crisp outside and the inside is all custardy hollow. Butter, jam, or a puddle of gravy all belong here.