popover divinity

I'm still convinced there's some magic involved. Magic, or divine intervention of sorts. I've now, four times, made popovers; those mythic bread-y deities whose spirit first touched me at BLT Prime, and whose creed I've worshipped piously ever since.

Not bread, not a muffin, not a scone or any of the like; popovers literally stand in a class of their own. They're baked in popover tins- essentially a muffin tin with fewer (6) and deeper (about 3 inch) cavities. They bake up and literally popover, creating a tall, crispy muffin type top. When you tear into one, you see that the top is pretty hallow, the bottom dense with gooey, eggy webbing.

After the first attempt, which was miraculously successful...


...I consulted the blogs to demystify the alchemy behind popovers. I learned that there are a few commandments that if broken, are sure to send you to popover purgatoria. They are:

1. Do not over mix the popover batter- think "combine till lumpy," not "smooth."
2. Let the batter sit, at room temperature for approx 20 minutes after you mix it- there's a scientific reason behind this, couldn't tell you what, but know that it has something to do with gluten
3. When baking, do not open the oven at all
4. Immediately after they come out, puncture the sides of each to allow the steam to escape- this will prolong the inevitable deflation

As in all religions, there were dissidents and reformists on the blogs who disputed these commandments and the absolutism with which they are adhered to by others. I, however, with the zeal of someone who had just found god, adopted them as tenets of my religion, and was rewarded in popover after life. In all but one time, (forgive me father, for I had sinned: I was rushed and 1. didn't combine wet and dry ingredients after both were gathered but mixed everything, simultaneously, in one big bowl and 2. I overmixed) the popovers were glorious.

Thus, with these 4 tenants and this simple recipe, adopted from my second attempt forward, (I used BLT's frilly and labor intensive recipe the first time) I charged forth with new found cause.

This is all you need:


Mix the wet. What you see me pouring in is the tbs of melted butter:

Add the sifted dry ingredients:

Grate the Gruyere cheese:

Pour into tin. I had a slight batter malfunction on this time (pouring some of it our by accident) and only had enough for 5:

Top each with about a tbs of Gruyere:


Bake as instructed, puncture, and eat IMMEDIATELY.

You will become a believer- this I promise you.