Popovers are a simple-to-make, hollow type of light pastry.  The batter is similar to Yorkshire Pudding but it was somehow made into a more shortened version of that.  Since they puff up and are hollow and pop over the baking tin, the name popovers came about.  It is said that popovers are an American culinary invention.  If you don’t have a popover pan, a muffin pan will do nicely and the effect is still the same.  Children love making this recipe.  It’s a special recipe here in our family.  Popovers can be eaten with butter and jam or served with a thin gravy over them.

  Turn oven to 450 degrees.  Butter muffin tins or glass or pottery custard cups, (ramekins).  Trust me, it’s just easier to use a 6 or 12 count muffin pan.

  2 eggs

  Beat until light and fluffy and add:

  1 cup milk

  1 tablespoon melted butter

  1 cup all purpose flour

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  Beat all until evenly blended-you can do 30 seconds with the electric mixer.  The batter should be similar to heavy cream.  Add milk only if necessary.  You don’t want to overbeat this batter.

  Pour into greased muffin tins until 1/3 full, or a tiny bit more filled, but not quite one-half full.  Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees and then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes or so longer.  *IT IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT TO NOT OPEN THE OVEN AT ALL WHILE BAKING POPOVERS!

  For bacon popovers, add to the batter 1/4 cup crumbled cooked crisp bacon.

  I have also made these with the muffin tin bottoms containing a few tablespoons of  thin gravy or au jus from a roast beef meal and this is out of this world yummy!

  Popovers are crisp on the outside and soft and moist on the inside and are so delicious!

images by bing.com