FAQs
What makes popovers pop? Unlike cake or bread, popovers use neither baking powder/baking soda nor yeast to provide leavening. Steam is the engine that makes them rise — and rise, and rise!
What makes popovers rise? ›
While baking in the oven, that trapped air expands and produces a fluffy baked good. Allow the batter to rest at room temperature while the oven preheats. Resting the batter really does result in better-risen popovers with an airier texture (as opposed to chewy).
How to keep popovers from falling? ›
The cookie sheet will shield popovers' tops from direct heat. If you 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, and serve.
What are two reasons for the failure of popovers to pop? ›
Until last night…
- Preheat your popover pan.
- NEVER open the oven door while baking.
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Use the freshest eggs possible.
Why did my popovers turn out dense? ›
Why are my popovers dense? Dense popovers (either from not rising or not getting nice hollows inside) can result from a couple things but usually it is by either not starting with room temperature eggs and milk, not preheating the popover pan, not using a quality popover tin, and/or making too thick of a batter.
What is the secret to good popovers? ›
My biggest tip for creating perfect popovers is to use warm milk and room-temperature eggs with absolutely no chill on them. Do not take the milk and eggs from the fridge and use them. Cold ingredients will give you dense popovers. Warm ingredients will give you light, airy, and perfect popovers.
Why are my popovers not fluffy? ›
There can be a few different things that can mess up the rise of popovers. Preheat the oven to 425 with the pan preheating in the oven. When baking don't open it again until they're done. If you open the oven door the temperature inside can drop too quickly and the popovers will not rise properly.
Should you let popover batter rest? ›
Whisk in the butter, and let the batter rest for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, the little lumps will have risen to the top. Give the batter a few more good licks with the whisk to recombine.
Should popover batter be room temperature? ›
Start with room-temperature ingredients. Why? Room temperature ingredients mix together to form pockets of air, which when baked result in a higher rise. If you want your popovers to rise high, let your ingredients come to room temperature before mixing.
Is it necessary to poke the popover when it comes out of the oven? ›
Remove from oven:
Popovers lose their crunch if they linger in the pan, so turn them out on a wire rack immediately and poke a small opening in the side of each with a paring knife to let the steam escape.
Seeking Optimal Lift and Crispness
Not only were popovers made with bread flour about 30 percent taller than those made with all-purpose flour, but their higher walls were also thinner, making them a bit more crisp, and that crispness held up as they cooled. Bread flour was in. Next up: the milk.
What is the main leavening ingredient in popovers? ›
Because popovers rely on steam to rise — as opposed to baking powder, baking soda, or yeast — you want your batter warm when entering the oven. This King Arthur Flour article says it best: “The warmer your batter going into the oven, the more quickly it'll produce steam: simple as that.”
What is the best grease for a popover pan? ›
A popover pan should be greased. I prefer to use melted butter, but oil or nonstick spray would work too. Greasing the pan ensures that the finished popovers don't stick and promotes browning on the exterior of the popover.
What keeps popovers from rising? ›
Preheating your oven to the correct temperature is probably the most important thing you can do to ensure popover success. The hotter your oven, the higher your popovers will rise. Which makes sense: the faster liquid in the batter turns into steam, the more chance your popover has to expand before its crust sets.
What makes popovers pop up? ›
The container forms the steam released in the oven heat into one giant bubble. This steam is contained with gluten from flour proteins, starch, and protein from eggs. So the popover literally 'pops' with steam, but the steam doesn't escape because the stretchy protein holds it inside the batter.
Why did my popovers fall? ›
When these airy baked goods aren't cooked enough, too much steam stays trapped inside. That moisture condenses once they're removed from the oven, causing them to collapse.
What are popovers leavened with? ›
Popovers are made from the thinnest of all quick-bread batters with a liquid to flour ratio of 1:1. They are leavened by eggs and steam in a batter of flour, milk and salt, mixed by the Muffin Method, followed by beating to make it smooth and free of lumps, giving popovers their characteristic chewy texture.
Are popovers leavened by steam? ›
Popovers are leavened with steam to create a large cavity inside. The oven heat sets the outside to trap the steam and allows it to expand. The inside also remains moist while the outside gets crisp.