How To Make Popovers For Holiday Mornings

Hello my dears! 

This year’s holiday is going to be miles away from the holiday I usually spend cozy in my parents’ living room in Los Angeles. I’ll be literal miles away – with Tron and our tiny tree in New Orleans. 

No doubt your holiday looks different this year too.  Certainly more quiet, but still room for a little magic? Gosh, we have to make it so. 

Our family has a scheduled  Zoom (we’re tired and grateful for Zoom, aren’t we?) and they don’t know it yet, but our gathering is going to be part piano recital because I’ve learned Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas on the piano juuuuust well enough to play it badly. Also taking in the words of that song this year has been tough and I’ve cried while playing it more than once. My neighbors are no doubt anxious to get this holiday behind us. 

I have the makings of gumbo in the refrigerator that I’ll be happy to simmer for most of the day (to bring my neighbors back into my good graces). And Christmas breakfast – a batch of popovers to be enjoyed with my second and third cups of coffee.  

Popovers qualify as kitchen magic thanks to the levity of eggs in a hot oven.  They’re show offs with minimal effort which is the mood this Christmas.  

I’m wishing you a mellow, safe, healthy, and contented holiday this week. Take good care of yourself, ok?  

Now, let’s make breakfast! 

Here’s what you need to bring the magic of popovers to your holiday morning: 

•  4 large eggs, warmed just slightly to relax to proteins

•  whole milk, lukewarm without the chill

•  flour, a bit of sugar, and salt

• melted butter – for always

•  a greased metal muffin tin

•  powdered sugar, lemon curd, and fresh blueberries for serving 

Do you know how to make popovers?  They’re super simple but there are a few key things that need to go right in bringing the batter together. 

Allow the cold eggs to sit in a bowl of hot sink water for 10 minutes before cracking the eggs. We want the proteins in the eggs to relax so they can evenly whisk into the just-warm milk.  Whisk until thoroughly combined, and no yolk bits remain. The mixture will be frothy – that’s what we want – air in our batter. 

Next, sift the flour and sugar over the eggy milk.  Whisk until there are virtually no lumps in the batter. A few bumps here and there are fine, but really get in there to work any lumps out. 

Whisk in the melted butter. 

The batter will feel like a very thin pancake batter. Pourable.

 The batter will be at a warm room temperature and we want the oven at a screamin’ hot 450 degrees F.  

For ease (and one extra dirty dish) transfer the batter to a liquid measuring cup before pouring it into the prepared pan.  I used a muffin tin (instead of a popover pan I don’t have) and filled each cup 3/4 full.  

Into the hot oven where the eggs will do their good work of lifting and lightening our popovers.  It’s all about temperature – we can to create steam on the inside to lift the puffs and quickly crisp the outside to hold the shape. That means no peeking into the oven. We don’t want to drop our precious temperature. 

The puffs bake for 35 minutes, with one temperature change.  They should be puffed high and deeply golden when they come out of the oven.  I like to serve them hot from the oven so I poke a hole in each puff to release some steam and keep them from getting too soggy. 

Wonky puff shapes are just part of their charm. 

The inside of each puff is eggs soft and airy while the outside is crisp and crunchy.  It’s truly the fastest way to a doughnut-type pastry in the morning.  

Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar, smear with lemon curd, and dot with any berry.  

I hope you have a handful of slow mornings to enjoy between now and the end of the year. Here are some other breakfast moments I wish for you: Extra Crumb Blueberry Coffee Cake + Overnight Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls or a big pot of Breakfast Jambalaya to carry you into the new year. 

Photos with Jon Melendez.  

My love to you, friends! 

Christmas Morning Popovers

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Joy the Baker
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30-35 minuts
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 12 popovers 1x

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Description

A simple breakfast batter with show-stopping results. Light but crisp, golden and airy popovers spread with lemon curd and sprinkled with fresh blueberries and powdered sugar. 

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Ingredients

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For the Popovers:

• 4 large eggs, warmed in a cup of hot sink water for 10 minutes before cracking
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, lukewarm (any fat milk will do)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Serve with powdered sugar, lemon curd and blueberries

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Instructions

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a 12-cup metal muffin tin with butter or nonstick cooking spray.  Grease the area between the cups as well as the cups themselves. Make sure the oven is close to temperature before you begin to make the popover batter.
2. In a medium bowl, use a whisk to beat together the eggs, milk, and salt. Whisk till the egg and milk are well combined, with no streaks of yolk showing.
3. Sift the sugar and flour over the egg mixture and beat with a whisk till frothy; there shouldn’t be any large lumps in the batter, but smaller lumps are fine. 
4. Whisk in the melted butter, combining quickly.
5. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Make absolutely certain your oven is at 450°F. Place the pan on the middle rack.
6. Bake the popovers for 20 minutes without opening the oven door. After 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F (don’t open the door yet), and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until they’re a deep, golden brown. 
7. 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 to serve piping hot.
8. To serve, dust lightly with powdered sugar. Serve alongside lemon curb and fresh blueberries though butter and jam will also be delicious

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