Popovers (wiki here) are a traditional american type of light bread roll (somewhat similar to Yorkshire puddings) that are very convenient for breakfast and can be consumed in both sweet and savory variations. They seem to be one of those “my grandma used to make these for me when I was a child”-things that everyone has a fond memory of. My wife loves them in the morning, so occasionally I make her some.

They’re surprisingly easy to make and are mouthwatering when they come freshly from the oven, still warm, fluffy and downright delicious. Combined with some butter or jam or even cream cheese they’re absolutely tasty. The dough can easily be varied with some sugar added for the sweet-toothed or a little saltier for the more hearty-minded patrons.

I got the recipe from what is a very special and instructive book to me: “Cooking for Geeks” by Jeff Potter (from amazon, no provisions). So here’s how to make them:

 

Ingredients:

15 g butter
6 tbsp. oil
2 medium eggs (room temperature)
250 ml milk (room temperature)
1/2 tsp. salt
125 g all purpose flour

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200°C / 390°F convection (make it 225°C / 440°F if not fan-assisted). Melt the butter and grease the popover moulds with 1/2 tsp. of oil each. Add the moulds to the oven to preheat them.

Briefly but briskly mix eggs, milk, butter and salt. Then add the flour, all at once, and whisk until there are just no more lumps, do not overmix the dough. Fill it into a vessel that you can easily pour from.

Take the mould(s) from the oven and pour in the dough. Dont fill them more than 1/3 up to 1/2.

Bake in the hot oven for about 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 150°C / 300°F (175°C / 350°F if not fan-assisted) and bake for 10 -12 minutes more. Over the whole baking time, do not open the oven door! Serve fresh and warm.