Perfect (mini) Popovers

I love hosting and having people over for food and wine.  Naturally, I'm always looking for easy, low cost appetizer recipes. 

I made these mini popovers over the weekend and I must say, they are probably the easiest, fastest, cheapest, most delicious appetizer ever.  The recipe is from Cook's Illustrated.  The only adaptation made was to use a mini muffin pan instead of a full size muffin pan.  Cooking times for both are listed below. 

Most of the mini popovers only had one large air bubble (so a lot less custard-y inside) and all were shaped like muffins (instead of that traditional multiple bubble look).  For finger food, I thought this was more than acceptable.  If you are serving them for a sit down meal, I'd probably go with the regular sized muffin pan.

POPOVERS

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

2 extra large eggs

1 tbsp melted butter

*a little butter or oil to grease the muffin pan

 

1.  Move oven rack to lowest setting.  Place muffin pan in oven.  Preheat oven to 450 F degrees. 

2.  Gently whisk flour and salt in a medium sized bowl.

3.  Combine melted butter, milk and eggs in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup (or small bowl).  Whisk until combined.

4.  Pour all wet ingredients into flour mixture and whisk until combined. Pour mixture back into Pyrex measuring cup (or any other container with a spout - easier to pour into muffin pan).

5.  Let rest to room temperature while waiting for oven to pre-heat.

6.  Once oven is pre-heated, take out muffin pan and grease with a little oil or butter.  Fill each cup halfway with mixture and return to oven.

7.  For mini muffin pan (24 minis) - bake 10-12 minutes at 450 F degrees until popovers rise.  Then turn down oven to 350 F degrees until popovers are well browned, another 10-12 minutes.

For regular muffin pan (12) - bake 20 minutes at 450 F degrees until popovers rise.  Then turn  down oven to 350 F degrees until popovers are well browned, another 15-20 minutes.

8.  Serve warm with some jam or butter!  (Neiman Marcus serves it with strawberry butter - basically strawberry preserves mixed with butter - super yum!)

 

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