Popovers are fun to make, not to mention, extremely easy. No special machine is required to make these golden toques that are crisp outside and chewy inside; just mix all the ingredients together, pop them in the oven and watch them go (a literal and figurative) pouf!
These light edible clouds are also known as Yorkshire puddings, and usually go with heavy courses like the traditional steak with gravy, or with roast meat or fish. To be honest, I prefer nibbling on popovers on their own, for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with a drizzle of honey. I also like adding copious amounts of finely grated gruyere cheese in the batter -- its characteristics of sweet, salty and grainy go well with butter. Parmesan is fine too, and can be found more easily at any store or alternative provisions.
Watching the popovers rise inside the oven is the fun part, as well as hearing them crackle and pop. This is a fun activity to do with small children (with supervision of course) or even by yourself...just make sure to crank up the volume on your phone video function when they start popping in the oven.
Baking time: 35 minutes
Yields: 12 pieces
Ingredients:
6 large eggs
2 cups milk (any will do: whole, skimmed or low fat)
3 heaping tablespoons butter, melted
1.5 cups gruyere or parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Here's the full video on how to make the cheese popovers. You can also watch this on IGTV at my page (@leseatmore)
1. In a large mixing bowl, crack eggs one at a time and beat them lightly. Add milk and melted butter; stir to combine. Then add in flour, salt and baking soda. Keep whisking until mixture becomes a smooth batter. Fold in grated gruyere or parmesan cheese into the mixture. Keep whisking for another 5 minutes. (You'll get a good arm workout while doing this. Haha!)
I love looking at this Gruyere curtain falling softly on the surface of the butter
2. Refrigerate batter covered in plastic lid or cling wrap for at least 2 hours. At about the last 15 minutes before you take the batter out of the chiller, preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius with empty muffin pan inside. You will need the extra heat emanating from the pan to make the mixture rise later on.
The batter should look smooth and silky like this
3. Once pre-heating is finished, carefully remove the muffin pan and grease bottom of each cup with olive oil. Take the batter from the refrigerator and give it another fast (and furious) round of whisking to let the air circulate. Using a soup ladle or a small measuring cup, pour batter into each cup in the muffin pan, up to 3/4th capacity. Don't fill up to the brim; you'll need extra space for the mixture to steam, expand and rise.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Check the top regularly; don't let it get too browned. Once the tops become golden, you can take the muffin pan out.
5. Insert a toothpick at the middle of each popover to allow steam to escape. This is also to ensure that they won't deflate later on after baking. Return to the oven and bake again for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Like golden cotton clouds...best of all, they're edible! :D
6. Remove the popovers from the muffin pans and let cool. Serve with butter, apple butter or honey, or together with lunch or dinner mains.
Hear that pop?
Light, airy, chewy, salty-sweet interior
The cheese popovers are fine to reheat in the next few days too. Just pop them back in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius, and reheat for 5 minutes.