Easy Weeknight Popovers

Anyone who has ever dined at Neiman Marcus’ Zodiac can attest to the perfection of their popovers served with delicious strawberry butter. This popular bread even graces the cover of the legendary store’s cookbook. While I’ve made Neiman’s popovers many times, I challenged myself to create a simple recipe that yields fewer popovers and is quick enough for a weeknight dinner. In just one hour, while preparing the rest of dinner, you can enjoy hot, homemade bread alongside your meal.

Popovers are the American equivalent of Yorkshire pudding. Although some variations of Yorkshire pudding date back to the 1300s, the first written record of them appears in 1737. Popovers, however, did not emerge until 1850.

The difference between the two types of egg bread is easily seen in their appearance; however, both taste great. Yorkshire pudding is heavier, usually savory, and made with meat drippings. It is typically baked in muffin tins or traditional baking pans.

In contrast, popovers are baked in a deeper, more cylindrical pan. They are taller than Yorkshire pudding and get their name because they pop over the top of the pan, thanks to a dramatic rise caused by the accumulation of steam. Because they are baked at high heat, they develop a crispy exterior and a light, airy interior.

Popovers are a fun bread. They can be served with butter or strawberry butter like the Neiman Marcus version, or savory by adding herbs before baking.

Ingredients

1 cup flour

½ tsp. salt

1 cup milk

3 eggs, room temperature

Vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, sift flour and salt.

2. Add milk and eggs to the flour mixture.

3. Whisk until smooth. The batter will initially seem quite lumpy, but it quickly smooths out.

4. Set the batter aside to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees so it’s evenly hot by the time the batter is ready. Bake the popovers on the lower third of the oven.

5. Once the resting period is over, spray six popover cups with cooking spray, coating the inside thoroughly. Add one teaspoon of vegetable oil to each cup. (Some recipes call for butter, but I prefer oil.) Place the pan in the hot oven. You want the pan and oil very hot but not burning, so watch it closely. While the pan is heating, give the batter one last whisk.

6. Once the pan and oil are hot, carefully remove it from the oven and fill each cup almost full.

7. Immediately return it to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Resist the temptation to open the oven for a peek. However, make sure your oven light is on because it’s fun to watch them rise.

8. The tricky part is that ovens can differ. When you approach the 30-minute mark, check them. Popovers should be evenly golden brown. Remove them from the popover pan and place them on a rack to cool. Leaving them in the pan can cause the bottoms to become soggy.

Note: A popover pan is needed. These are available online and at stores that sell baking pans. Also, I suggest using an oven liner or a large cookie sheet on the rack beneath the popovers to catch any dripping oil as they rise, making cleanup easier.