Flopovers

We love popovers.  I make them on the weekends with some frequency, using a recipe from a stained, beat-up copy of the Tassajara Bread Book -- vintage 70s.  I do everything right -- I mix the batter in advance and let it sit for a while in the fridge, like Martha says to, I heat the buttery super-greased muffin tins in the stove, I don't peek while they're baking (and that's the most difficult thing of all -- I'm an inveterate peeker, at least at baked goods).

And they always come out looking like this.   Notice the lack of puffy tops, and the big indentations in the middle.

They never look like this.  Notice the miniature air-balloon shape, the big puffy top, and the delightful fresh flowers in the background.

I'm convinced that it has to do with the lack of a popover pan.  I just bought a brand-new, heavy-duty muffin pan, hoping that that would provide the cure.  You see the results in the first photo. 

Why do I keep making them, you ask?  Because they're still absolutely delicious, despite their unlovely appearance.  They're light, airy, eggy -- everything you want in a popover.  Except the big puffy top, and the  mysterious empty inner space.  If you close your eyes, you'd swear you're eating a perfect popever. 

I'm open to any and all suggestions in the popover department. 

Comments

[Deb]

I don't have any suggestions as I've never made them myself but your post brought me back to childhood. There was a short period in my early years when my mother actually cooked (after that my stepfather took over the cooking), one of the things she enjoyed making as well as eating were popovers. We kids loved them too and would hang around the kitchen impatiently waiting for them to be ready, we would eat them piping hot with butter and lots of strawberry jam, oh man, I wish I had some now.

[ejm]

We love popovers too, Julie! My popovers are usually about half way between yours in the muffin tins and the one with the lily. I bake them in pyrex custard bowls that are placed on a cookie sheet with sides (to catch any spitting oil). Room temperature ingredients and premixing the batter is where yours and mine differ. I don't know if you already follow #2-7 but here are all the things that brought about major improvement to our popovers:

1. All batter ingredients MUST be at room temperature (21C/70F)
2. Preheat cooking containers with oil/butter for 15 minutes in hot oven. It doesn't matter if butter gets a bit brown.
3. Whisk the eggs until they are frothy and light coloured.
4. Whisk in milk and salt.
5. Quickly whisk in flour.
6. Fill the containers as quickly as possible to NO MORE than 2/3 full. When you pour in the batter, there should be major bubbling and sizzling.
7. When they have popped and there is still 5 to 10 minutes cooking time left, open the oven gently and turn the pan around to allow for uneven heat in the oven.

This is the recipe we use:
http://etherwork.net/recipes/yorkshire_pudding.html

Have you tried popovers with orange chicken? Oh my my my!!! Phenomenal!

-Elizabeth

P.S. Please excuse my verbosity. Once I get started, well, you know....

[Julie]

Thanks so much for stopping by, Deb. If I have a popover breakthrough, you'll all hear about it...in the meantime, it's true that my runty little flopovers are fab with butter and any kind of jam; I'm partial to seedless boysenberry or peach/apricot myself.

[Julie]

Elizabeth, thanks for the tips -- I will absolutely try them the next time we're jonesing for popovers!

[ejm]

Popovers with butter amd jam? Wow, I've never thought of that. We've always had them with a roast of some sort and gravy. I absolutely love pouring gravy into the inside cavity.

Do try starting with everything at room temperature, Julie! They still might be a bit malformed but I think you'll get the cavity that you're looking for.

And I found out that it's safe to peek into the oven after they've popped. But I always make sure that the oven window is absolutely clean when I make popovers to stop the urge to look. We sit in the kitchen in front of the oven and watch them pop. It's better than TV! :^D

-Elizabeth

[ina]

POPOVERS~~After reading everyones thoughts on Popovers~~(I have never made them)I've got to try them~they sound so wonderful!!!

[Kelli]

Hi Julie! I have a copy of "Tassajara" that exactly fits your description!

I've always made popovers in a muffin tin, and they pop very well. I never worry about room-temp ingredients, I don't let the batter sit, and I don't preheat the pan. Minimum fuss, and they turn out fine. I can't imagine why yours won't pop! And now I know what I'm having for breakfast tomorrow. I'll let you know what happens. =)

[camille]

the recipe?

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[Pamela]

I agree with the previous post.

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What I love the most about this kind of bread bites are the airy and soft texture!!!
I love it!!

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Popovers wow that is interesting i never had any of that however i would like to try that it sound so good im looking foward making it soon,thanks.

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