Like Mother, Like Daughter? {Recipe: Muffin Tin Popovers}

I often tell my daughter, Lili, that it is unfortunate for her that I like to bake. She always wants to do the baking, but I enjoy it too. So, on occasion, I have told her that I just want to bake on my own as she has said to me. My mother did not bake much and she was more than happy to let me do it. The one exception is making popovers. I am not sure why, but she really liked making these and she made them often.

Funny that I have never made popovers once I left home. I am not sure why, I guess there are just too many other things I wanted to try. It dawned on me this weekend that the kids should try the one thing I remember my mother baked on a regular bases.

My mother never owned a popover pan and I have never purchased one either. She always made popovers in a muffin tin. I may get a popover pan someday, but the muffin tin method seems to work fine. The difference may be that the popovers don't lift quite as high.

Popovers are essentially Yorkshire Pudding. I don't know the evolution or origins of the popover, but I believe that it is an American thing. I will have to research the history of the popover. 

Here is the recipe for Muffin Tin Popovers:

Muffin Tin Popovers

4 teaspoons vegetable oil, olive oil, or butter for greasing the muffin tin
3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
2 eggs
1 cup milk, warm the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir and heat for 30 more seconds, or on the stovetop on low until lukewarm. 
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the vegetable oil, olive oil or butter into 8 wells of the muffin tin. Add a tablespoon or two of water into the 4 remaining wells of the muffin tin*, then set aside. In a blender, blend the eggs until light yellow in color. Add the milk and blend. Then add the flour, salt, and melted butter. Blend until smooth, then set aside. Place the muffin tin into the oven and heat for 5 minutes. **Be careful if using butter that it does not burn. Check it after about 3 minutes. I have used butter and it does get browned, but I think it adds a nice flavor.  The muffin tin needs to be hot for the popovers to lift. Pour the batter into the heated muffin tin and return it to to the the oven. Bake until golden brown. I use a convection oven and it takes about 15-20 minutes. A regular oven could take about 30-35 minutes. Serve warm with a dusting of powdered sugar and jam for sweet popovers, or plain or with butter for savory. Sweet popovers are great for breakfast; savory popovers are a good accompaniment to roast meats (like Yorkshire Pudding is served).

Makes 8 Popovers

*My mother used to do this, but I have never seen it in another recipe. A build-up of steam is what makes the popovers pop up, so the water couldn't hurt. Also, you have to work quickly when you pour the batter into the muffin tin, adding the water makes it easier to see the wells that have not been greased. 

Enjoy!