Did you know that popover batter and crepe batter are essentially the same? So how do we get a high, crusty, puffy popover with a hollow center, instead of, as Al Sicherman put it, a crepe that is "desperately flat"?
You need three things: good gluten formation, high heat, and a narrow, high container. The container forms the steam released in the oven heat into one giant bubble. This steam is contained with gluten from flour proteins, starch, and protein from eggs. So the popover literally 'pops' with steam, but the steam doesn't escape because the stretchy protein holds it inside the batter.
Flour
Flour provides the structure for the product. The gluten, or protein, in flour, combines to form a web that traps air bubbles and sets in the heat of the oven. Starch in flour sets as it heats to add to and support the structure. In popovers, we want a lot of gluten formation, which forms a web to hold the steam in baking.
Don't use cake flour or low protein flour for popovers, since they won't hold around the large steam bubble, and you'll end up with a heavy muffin. Flours like White Lily and other brands, particularly those sold in the south, don't have enough protein to hold the air as the structure expands. If this is your first time making popovers, or you haven't had success in the past, try using half bread flour and half all-purpose flour. And measure the flour correctly.
Fat
There isn't a lot of fat in popover batters. Fat helps make the dough crisp, assists in browning, and adds flavor, especially if you use butter.
Leavening
Some popover recipes call for baking powder; others do not. We prefer those that do not use baking powder because we think the flavor is better.
Eggs
Eggs provide the steam that makes a popover pop, and provide structure in the form of more protein. The yolks also act as an emulsifier for a smooth and even texture in the finished product. The eggs also add flavor to the popover. And they help provide a nice brown color to the finished popover, and a crisp crust.
Liquid
Liquid combines with two proteins in flour, called glutenin and gliadin. Don't worry about these names - you don't need to remember them! Those proteins combine to form gluten. There is a lot of liquid in popover batter to provide steam and to make a firm web of gluten that contains the steam during baking. The batter has to be liquid enough so it can expand quickly in the hot oven, yet have enough protein and starch to set up as the liquid evaporates as steam.
Popover Pans
You can use special popover pans, which are nonstick cups held together with rods. There's a large space between each cup so the heat can move freely around the popovers, creating steam, then setting the structure. You can also use custard cups, well greased, and set them 3 to 4 inches apart on a baking sheet. Some recipes call for preheating the pans or cups. We don't feel this is necessary, but you can certainly preheat the pans in a hot oven if you want to.
Oven Temperature
We prefer putting popovers into a hot oven (450 F) for 10 minutes or so to get maximum steam production, then reducing the heat to 350 F so the popover structure sets and holds. Some recipes call for putting popovers into a cold oven and then turning on the heat. We think this method runs the risk of burning the popover bottoms, and we've found the popovers don't rise as high.
Make sure that your oven temperature is accurate. When the baking temperature and time are as critical as they are in this type of recipe, an accurate oven temperature is essential. Use an oven thermometer for best results.
So follow the science behind popovers, and yours will always rise to great heights and be crisp and tender at the same time.
FAQs
My biggest tip for creating perfect popovers is to use warm milk and room-temperature eggs with absolutely no chill on them. Do not take the milk and eggs from the fridge and use them. Cold ingredients will give you dense popovers. Warm ingredients will give you light, airy, and perfect popovers.
Why were my popovers so dense? ›
Why are my popovers dense? Dense popovers (either from not rising or not getting nice hollows inside) can result from a couple things but usually it is by either not starting with room temperature eggs and milk, not preheating the popover pan, not using a quality popover tin, and/or making too thick of a batter.
What is the best flour to use for popovers? ›
Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour: The key to making these popovers super light and fluffy is to use bread flour. Bread flour contains a higher amount of protein than all-purpose flour, causing it to yield a much lighter and fluffier popover.
Should popover batter rest before baking? ›
There's just one thing that will make the popovers better, and that's time. The batter needs time to rest before baking so that it creates a more tender popover in the end. So, cover the batter and pop it into the refrigerator for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.
What are the biggest causes of popover failures? ›
Preheating your oven to the correct temperature is probably the most important thing you can do to ensure popover success. The hotter your oven, the higher your popovers will rise. Which makes sense: the faster liquid in the batter turns into steam, the more chance your popover has to expand before its crust sets.
What makes a popover rise? ›
Basic popovers are made with eggs, milk, and flour. The batter is thin enough to be pourable, about as thick as heavy cream. The high proportion of liquid in the batter creates steam that causes the popovers to puff up like the popover pictured below. The conversion of the liquid in the batter to steam is dramatic.
Should popover pans be greased? ›
A popover pan should be greased. I prefer to use melted butter, but oil or nonstick spray would work too. Greasing the pan ensures that the finished popovers don't stick and promotes browning on the exterior of the popover. After you've greased your pan, place it into the oven while it preheats.
Is it necessary to poke the popover when it comes out of the oven? ›
Remove from oven:
Popovers lose their crunch if they linger in the pan, so turn them out on a wire rack immediately and poke a small opening in the side of each with a paring knife to let the steam escape.
Why are my popovers not fluffy? ›
There can be a few different things that can mess up the rise of popovers. Preheat the oven to 425 with the pan preheating in the oven. When baking don't open it again until they're done. If you open the oven door the temperature inside can drop too quickly and the popovers will not rise properly.
What flour makes things crispy? ›
Rice flour and cornstarch work particularly well because they fry up crispier than wheat flour. They also absorb less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy. This is why rice flour is often used when making tempura because it produces a very thin and crispy, dry crust.
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.
What is the main leavening ingredient in popovers? ›
Because popovers rely on steam to rise — as opposed to baking powder, baking soda, or yeast — you want your batter warm when entering the oven. This King Arthur Flour article says it best: “The warmer your batter going into the oven, the more quickly it'll produce steam: simple as that.”
What are popovers called in England? ›
Yorkshire Pudding/ Popovers
Yorkshire Puddings are a staple in England with a Roast Dinner. Here in the US we know them as Popovers which are the same thing as the modern Yorkshire Pudding, except using a different pan.
What happens to an underbaked popover? ›
If your popovers lose volume when they come out of the oven, they are probably underbaked. When these airy baked goods aren't cooked enough, too much steam stays trapped inside. That moisture condenses once they're removed from the oven, causing them to collapse.
How to prevent popovers from deflating? ›
An additional trick for keeping popovers crisp is to gently poke a hole in the side of each one with a sharp knife when you remove it from the pan to allow extra steam to escape without deflating the crust dome.
How to keep popovers from falling? ›
The cookie sheet will shield popovers' tops from direct heat. If you plan on serving the popovers immediately, remove them from the oven, and stick the tip of a knife into the top of each, to release steam and help prevent sogginess. Slip them out of the pan, and serve.
Why do my popovers always deflate? ›
If your popovers lose volume when they come out of the oven, they are probably underbaked. When these airy baked goods aren't cooked enough, too much steam stays trapped inside. That moisture condenses once they're removed from the oven, causing them to collapse. The perfect popover, however, is easy to master.
What makes popovers hollow? ›
The container forms the steam released in the oven heat into one giant bubble. This steam is contained with gluten from flour proteins, starch, and protein from eggs. So the popover literally 'pops' with steam, but the steam doesn't escape because the stretchy protein holds it inside the batter.
