Best Bittman Popovers Recipes

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING'S POPOVERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. If using a popover tin with 6-ounce cups, grease 6 cups with 2 tablespoons butter. If using a muffin tin with cups 2 1/2 inches wide by 1 1/4 inches deep, grease 12 cups. With 6-ounce custard cups, grease 8 cups.
• In large bowl of mixer, beat eggs until frothy; beat in milk and remaining butter. Lower speed and beat in flour and salt.
• Divide batter among prepared cups. Bake 50 minutes; make slit in each to let out steam; bake 10 minutes more. Immediately remove from cups. Serve hot with butter.

PREHEATED OVEN POPOVERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously grease 10 4-ounce heatproof pottery custard cups (or a muffin or popover pan) with butter. Arrange the cups (or muffin or popover pan) on a baking sheet.
• Beat the eggs lightly, then add the milk and melted butter and stir to combine. Gradually stir in the flour and salt. Beat just until the mixture is smooth. Do not overbeat. If the mixture is not smooth, strain it.
• Pour the mixture into a pitcher and then pour into the custard cups. Fill the cups almost to the top.
• Bake for 50 minutes. Do not open the oven door during baking.
• After 50 minutes, remove the popovers from the oven, cut several slits in the top of each and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove the popovers from the cups.

TEATIME PERFECT POPOVERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400° F for 20 minutes. Place 1 piece of butter in the bottom of each cup of a six-cup popover tin (or six 1/2-cup custard cups). Place the popover pan on a baking sheet.
• In a smaller bowl, lightly whisk the eggs until they change color. Whisk in the milk.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until well blended. Gently whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture until only small lumps are left, and set aside.
• Place the popover tin and baking sheet in the oven for 4 minutes. At 3 minutes, give the batter a light whisk. Using an oven mitt, remove the hot tin from the oven and immediately divide the batter among the prepared cups. Bake for 25 minutes without opening the oven door. The popovers will be puffy, with crisp brown crusts and hollow, moist interiors. Serve immediately.

PROFITEROLES WITH RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees; line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the butter in a saucepan with the salt and 3/4 cup water; bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and stir until the butter is melted. Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour; continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from side of pan and forms a ball, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the slightly cooled flour mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition - the batter will come apart after each egg is added but will reunite as you stir. Transfer the batter to a resealable plastic bag or pastry bag and make a 1/2 -inch cut in one corner. Pipe mounds about 1 inch high and 1 to 2 inches in diameter onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about an inch of space between.
• Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the profiteroles from the oven and pierce the bottom of each profiterole once with a skewer, to keep them from getting soggy. Return to the oven; prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon and let the profiteroles crisp up for about 3 minutes. Cool on sheet on a rack.
• Meanwhile, put the raspberries in a food processor along with 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Purée the berries, adding a little more water through the feed tube if needed, to create a pourable drizzle. To serve, use a serrated knife to slice each profiterole in half around the equator, fill with a scoop of ice cream or sorbet, and drizzle with the raspberry purée.

POPOVERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of melted butter in each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan or a popover tin and put it in oven while you make batter.
• Beat together the eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon butter, sugar and salt. Beat in the flour a little bit at a time and add thyme if using; mixture should be smooth.
• Carefully remove muffin tin from oven and fill each cup about halfway. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 15 minutes more, or until popovers are puffed and browned. Do not check popovers until they have baked for a total of 30 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and serve hot.