Both are made with a thin egg batter, but popovers were traditionally baked in special cast-iron pans with deep, straight cups that are hard to come by today, while Yorkshire pudding is made by pouring the batter into a roasting pan with the drippings of the roast.
You Can Make Popovers Without a Popover Pan
A popover pan is deeper than a muffin tin and has straight sides, but you don’t need one to make popovers. You can make these just as easily in muffin tins. They won’t be as tall as those made in a special pan—in fact, their baked shapes are unpredictably lopsided (in a charming way). Regardless of the shape, you will want to eat them right out of the oven, while they are still hot inside, just waiting to be slathered with butter.
Tips for Making Perfect Popovers
Making popover batter is EASY! If you’re not into using kitchen appliances, you can simply whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl. Personally, I find using a blender does the job quickly and efficiently, so that’s the route I took for this recipe. Either method will work just fine.
Thin for the win! The batter is thinner than you might expect for something baked in a muffin tin. If you’ve ever made crepes, it’s like that.Skip the preheat: Many popover recipes require you to heat the pan in the oven before filling the cups with batter—I did not find this necessary. (I tested both ways with similar results.)No peeking! Once the popovers are in the oven, resist the urge to open the oven door and peek in on their progress. The closed door encourages steam, which creates the famous popover puff. If you open the door you’ll lose the steam and the puff.
Ways to Flavor Popovers
You can leave popovers plain or dress them up with fresh herbs or cheeses for a savory version to serve with soup or roast chicken. If you’re craving something on the sweet side, you can add citrus zest, more sugar, or extracts. To make savory popovers:
ThymeRosemaryOreganoChivesGruyereCheddar
To make sweet popovers add an additional tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla along with any of the ingredients below:
Orange zestLemon zestBrush baked popovers with melted butter and roll them in cinnamon and sugar.Dust with powdered sugar.
What to Serve With Popovers
Popovers are great to have with soup, salad, or alongside roast chicken, roast beef, or just about anything you would serve with rolls. They’re also fantastic as a breakfast treat, sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar and served with butter and jam. Afternoon pick-me-up with coffee or tea, anybody? In any case, serve these hot right out of the oven or reheat them at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes.
How to Store and Reheat Popovers
You can make the batter ahead of time and bake the popovers the next day or prepare a batch start to finish and freeze them for later or keep a few on your counter. Check out the tips below to keep your popovers fresh.
To make ahead: You can make the batter and refrigerate it for up to one day before baking. Just let the batter come to room temperature and whisk it well or whirl it in the blender for a few seconds before pouring it into the muffin tins.To store: Store baked and cooled popovers in a ziptop bag for up to a day. They are still edible after a day, but they don’t taste as fresh. Reheat them on a baking sheet at 350°F for five to 10 minutes.To freeze: Store fully baked and cooled popovers in a ziptop bag. They will last for up to three months in the freezer.
Need Some Carbs in Your Life? Look No Further
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Turn the oven down to 350°F and bake for 8 minutes longer. Now you can peek! Open the oven and check to see if the popovers are brown enough. If they aren’t, bake for another 5 minutes, or until they are puffed and deep golden brown.
