Fill Your Popover Pan To This Line

Popovers are light and airy rolls made from an egg batter and baked in a special pan that shares its name. The popover pan has deep wells with straight-walled sides, which forces the batter upward while baking, resulting in a puffy top and crispy sides. The cups of the popover pan are welded to the wire rack, which promotes even circulation of air and heat around the tins.

A good rule of thumb when filling the popover pan is to fill the pans just over halfway full. This provides room for the popovers to expand before their structure is fully set. If you overfill the pan, the popovers may pop too early when the batter is still liquidy, creating a big mess in your oven and causing the popovers to be very misshapen.

Popover pans are best, but muffin tins can be used

Popovers are light and airy rolls made from an egg batter, similar to Yorkshire pudding. They are named for their ability to "pop over" the tins in which they are baked. While popover pans are best for achieving the desired result, muffin tins can be used in a pinch.

Popover pans have straight sides with taller, skinnier cups. This shape is important for achieving the desired result: the tall, narrow vessel forces the batter upwards as the steam is created. Think of the sides of the pan like high walls that the batter clings to while it climbs; eventually, the batter is firm enough to set, but when it's still liquid, it needs room to grow and assistance to get there.

Muffin tins will produce different results. Popovers made in a muffin pan won't get quite as tall and may be slightly more custardy inside as a result—there won't be as big of a steam pocket without the room to expand in the pan. Muffin tin popovers are also slightly more likely to fall over or become misshapen during baking.

To use a muffin tin for popovers:

• Use a standard muffin tin, with cups that are close to 2 1/2" wide and 1 1/2" deep.
• Grease the muffin tin by brushing with melted butter or oil, or using nonstick spray.
• Fill the cups about halfway or two-thirds full.
• Put the pan in the oven on a lower rack.
• Bake at 450°F for 15-20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 10-20 minutes, until the popovers are tall, have "popped" over the tops of the pan, and are a deep, golden brown.

Preheat the pan

Preheating the pan is an important step in achieving the perfect popover. The pan must be hot when the batter is added to create an ideal environment to maximise the amount of steam. More steam means fluffier, taller popovers.

To preheat the pan, place the popover pan on a baking tray and put it in the oven while it preheats. The oven rack should be on a lower (but not the lowest) slot to prevent overbrowning. The baking tray boosts the bottom heat, which helps the popovers rise.

If you forget to preheat your pan, don't worry! Properly mixed batter will still rise to great heights. However, preheating the pan is a simple extra step that can make a big difference.

Once the pan is nice and hot, it's time to fill it with batter. Popover pans should be filled just over halfway full. This provides room for the popovers to expand before their structure is fully set. If you overfill the pan, the popovers may pop too early when the batter is still liquidy. They will eventually set, but it will create a mess in your oven and the finished popovers will be misshapen.

Fill the pan just over halfway

Filling the pan just over halfway is a good rule of thumb when making popovers. This allows room for the popovers to expand before their structure is fully set. If you fill the pan too much, the popovers may pop too early, when the batter is still liquid, creating a mess in your oven and resulting in misshapen popovers.

Using a liquid measuring cup or a ladle to fill the pan gives you the most control over the batter level. As soon as the pan is filled, transfer it to the oven.

Popovers are best served immediately. They will begin to collapse a few minutes after being removed from the oven, so it is important to puncture the top or side of the popover with a knife to release the steam and help prevent sogginess. Even when they collapse, popovers are delicious and are best served warm.

Use a liquid measuring cup to pour the batter

Using a liquid measuring cup to pour the batter into the popover pan gives you the most control over the level of the batter inside each cup. Ladles are another good option. As soon as the pans are filled, transfer the popovers to the oven.

Popovers are light and airy and can be served with almost any meal. They are perfect with all kinds of sweet or savoury toppings or enjoyed just with butter. They are similar to Yorkshire pudding and are named for their ability to "pop over" the tins in which they are baked.

Popovers are best served immediately. They will begin to collapse a few minutes after being removed from the oven. To prevent this, puncture the top and/or side of the popover with the tip of a small, sharp knife to release some of the steam trapped inside.

Popovers are an entertainer's dream: simple to prepare but dramatic in presentation. They are quicker than bread but have a similarly comforting effect, especially since they are meant to be eaten warm. They are great for breakfast, with a healthy dollop of jam, but they also pair well with a hearty dinner.

Don't open the oven during the baking process

Popovers are an American creation, similar to English Yorkshire pudding, and are distinguished by their high egg content. The popover batter is almost like a custard, consisting mostly of eggs and liquid (usually milk or water) with just enough flour to help set the structure as the eggs soufflé during baking. The massive amount of steam generated by the moisture from the batter and the eggs builds up inside the popover, pushing the batter upwards.

Therefore, it is important to not open the oven during the baking process as this can cause the popovers to collapse. Opening the oven door releases a generous amount of heat, and any reduction can drastically affect the production of steam inside the popovers. The heat escaping and the oven cooling down causes the steam inside the popovers to condense, which then leads to the popovers collapsing.

The best practice is to trust your popover recipe and set your timer for the lower end of the time spectrum provided. When the timer goes off, turn on the oven light and look inside without opening the oven door. Popovers are done when they are tall, "set" (no obvious gooeyness), and very golden brown.

If you want to help prevent the popovers from collapsing after they are removed from the oven, puncture the top and/or side of the popover with the tip of a small, sharp knife to help release some of the steam trapped inside.

Frequently asked questions