Tips for Fool-proof Popovers

As you know, I am on a mission to perfect popovers. And I have had many, many failures over the last year. Complete bricks, or tasteless. I have tried a dozen different recipes, a dozen different ways and the following recipe is the best one.

So here are the key techniques that I have found for the best fool proof Popovers. 

1. Make sure your oven and pan are hot before you fill the pan.
2. Do not open the oven when the popovers are in the oven.
3. This tip was the most important. Only fill your popover pan half full. The following recipe makes more like 9 popovers in my pan and I always thought, hey, I will just fill up the pan and make six popovers. That was my biggest mistake. The popovers could not rise properly. So don’t fill your pan.

Some people make their mixture ahead of time and let it sit for an hour or more. I did not do that. But following the three tips, I have made consistently light and fluffy popovers, filled with air holes.

Give them a try! They are delicious.

Popovers adapted from Ina Garten

Serves:
12 popovers

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus meltedbutter for greasing pans
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Generously grease aluminum popover pans with melted butter. You'll need enough pans to make 12 popovers. Place the pans in the oven for exactly 2 minutes to preheat. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, salt, eggs, milk, and melted butter until smooth. The batter will be thin. Fill the popover pans less than half full and bake for exactly 30 minutes. Do not peek.