Sandra This Alton Brown Popovers recipe is a light and airy bread, which calls for a simple egg batter and a preheated popover pan. It’s a dramatic dinner roll alternative, ready in about 45 minutes.
Alton Brown Popovers Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, room temperature before cracking
- 1 ½ cups whole milk, lukewarm (about 110°F)
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- Non-stick cooking spray (for the pan)
How To Make Alton Brown Popovers
- Blend the base: In a blender, combine the room temperature eggs, lukewarm milk, and salt. Blend for a few seconds until combined.
- Add flour and fat: Add the flour to the blender and process until smooth. Finally, pour in the melted butter while the blender is running (if possible) or add it and blend until the batter is frothy.
- Rest the batter: Let the batter rest in the blender jar at room temperature for 15 minutes. This resting period allows the gluten to relax (preventing toughness) and the flour to fully hydrate.
- Prep the oven: While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven (to allow room for rising) and another rack at the very top (for an optional heat shield).
- Heat the pan: Place a 6-slot popover pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the sheet with the pan on the lower oven rack for the last 2 minutes of preheating. The hot pan is crucial for the initial “spring.”
- Fill the pan: Remove the hot pan from the oven. Working quickly, spray the wells and the top rim of the popover pan generously with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter evenly into the 6 cups. They should be filled almost to the top.
- The initial bake: Return the pan to the oven immediately. Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door. Opening the door releases the steam that is lifting the popovers, causing them to collapse.
- Reduce and finish: Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) without opening the door. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the popovers are tall, golden brown, and crisp. (Check through the window; if they are browning too fast, quickly slide a baking sheet onto the top rack to shield them).
- Vent and serve: Remove from the oven. Immediately pierce the top or bottom of each popover with a paring knife to release the steam inside. This keeps them crisp. Tip them out of the pan and serve hot with butter.
Recipe Tips
- Room temperature ingredients: This is the most important rule. Cold eggs or milk will cool down the batter and the hot pan, preventing the explosive steam reaction needed for the popover to rise.
- Spoon and Level: When measuring flour, fluff it up, spoon it into the cup, and level it off. Scooping directly packs the flour, creating a dense batter that won’t pop.
- The “Shield”: If your oven runs hot, the tops might burn before the structure is set. Placing a baking sheet on the rack above the popovers acts as a heat shield to prevent scorching.
- Muffin tin? If you don’t have a popover pan (which has deep, narrow wells), you can use a standard 12-cup muffin tin. You will get 10-12 smaller popovers. Reduce baking time slightly.
What To Serve With Alton Brown Popovers
These hollow breads are perfect for soaking up flavors.
- Strawberry Butter: Whip butter with strawberry jam for a sweet treat.
- Roast Beef: The traditional partner (Yorkshire Pudding style).
- Pot Roast: Great for mopping up gravy.
- Soup: Serve alongside tomato or mushroom soup.
How To Store Alton Brown Popovers
- Room Temperature: Popovers are best eaten immediately. If stored, keep them in a paper bag for up to 1 day. Reheat before eating.
- Reheat: To re-crisp, place them directly on the oven rack at 350°F for 5 minutes.
- Freeze: Freeze baked popovers in a sealed bag for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in the oven.
Alton Brown Popovers Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 249kcal
- Protein: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fat: 11g
- Saturates: 6g
- Sugar: 3g
- Salt: 0.4g
Nutrition information is estimated per popover (based on 6 large popovers).
FAQs
Why didn’t my popovers pop?
Failure to pop is usually due to three things: cold ingredients, opening the oven door, or a pan that wasn’t hot enough.
Can I make the batter ahead?
Yes, you can blend the batter and refrigerate it overnight. However, you must bring it back to room temperature (at least 1 hour) before baking.
Can I add cheese?
Yes, stir in ½ cup of finely shredded Gruyère or sharp Cheddar after blending. Do not blend the cheese or it will disappear.
Alton Brown Popovers Recipe
Description
A scientifically foolproof popover recipe that uses a blender for aeration and a hot pan start to ensure towering, hollow, and crispy golden rolls.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Blend eggs, milk, and salt.
- Add flour and butter; blend until frothy.
- Rest batter for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450°F with pan inside.
- Spray hot pan and fill cups.
- Bake for 20 minutes (do not open door).
- Reduce to 350°F and bake 10 more minutes.
- Pierce with knife to release steam.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- Piercing the finished popovers with a knife allows the internal steam to escape immediately; if you skip this, the steam condenses as it cools, turning your crisp popover into a soggy, collapsed sponge.
- Resting the batter for 15 minutes allows the flour granules to swell and absorb the liquid, ensuring a uniform structure that can stretch and hold the steam pressure.
- Using a blender aerates the batter significantly more than whisking by hand, giving the popovers a head start on the lift before they even hit the oven.
Alton Brown Popovers Recipe
