I'm not a big breakfast person. That's not exactly true... let's just say I don't always make time for breakfast so I skip it most days. But on Sunday morning, when I try to stop for a bit and have a word with God about all my many blessings, I often cook while God and I chat. One of the things I often make is Popovers. I first fell in love with them while living in Chicago; the little restaurant inside Neiman Marcus on Michigan Avenue had them on the menu. One of my friends, a woman named Gwendolyn Watson who I have long ago lost but will never forget, told me about the Neiman's Popovers. These light, airy little puffs are so delicious- plus they are fast and SO easy. I don’t have a popover pan; I just make them in muffin tins and so dang what if they are not perfect? They are still perfectly delicious. The secret? Pour the batter in a hot pan much like you do for cornbread. Trust me.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes
SUNDAY MORNING POPOVERS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups whole milk
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place an oven rack so that the popovers will be in the middle of the oven once they rise. If the rack is too close to the top of the oven, the tops of the popovers will burn.
Brush a standard 12-cup metal muffin tin with softened butter. Grease thoroughly including the area between the cups as well as the cups themselves. Put the pan in the oven to heat.
In a bowl, add the eggs, milk, and salt. Whisk till the egg and milk are well combined, with no streaks of yolk.
Add the flour all at once, and beat with a whisk till frothy with no lumps in the batter. Stir in the melted butter, combining quickly.
Pour the batter into the hot muffin cups, filling them half full.
Make sure the oven is at 450°F. Place the pan on the lower rack.
Bake the popovers for 20 minutes without opening the oven door. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until they're a deep, golden brown. Resist the urge to open the door as the popovers will deflate easily.
Remove the pan and let the popovers cool slightly. Take a knife and run around the cups to release. Serve hot with butter, whipped cream, berries, honey or your favorite filling. In the fall, I like to go all Autumn and saute some not quite ripe apples in butter. Add some sugar, some cinnamon, nutmeg, maybe a little vanilla. Let the sugar begin to dissolve. Pull it off the heat, pour on some Calvados or brandy and light the thing on fire. Swirl the pan until the brandy burns off. Don't catch yourself or the house on fire. Pour over the Popovers. Count your blessings. #blessed