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From our archives: Our favorite 2009 Taste recipes

We celebrate the new year by revisiting standouts from the previous 12 months. First up: Foolproof popovers.

January 5, 2010 at 7:47PM

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Popped fresh from the oven. Star Tribune file photo by Steve Rice.

Note: We're going to celebrate the new year by revisiting our favorite Taste recipes from 2009. I'll start with a story published on May 14, 2009. (Check out this video, produced by my colleague Steve Rice, that chronicles the popover-making process).

Don't ask why, but I spent the better part of the month of April obsessing over popovers. In an effort to find my idea of the best recipe, I think I baked more than 25 batches, learning from my mistakes and getting closer and closer to my "perfect" formula, one that resulted in a light, airy popover with a tender crust and a rich, eggy interior. This was the result. It's not the quickest formula -- quality, not speed, was the goal -- but it's still relatively easy to make, and worth the effort.

PERFECT POPOVERS

Makes about 1 dozen.

Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. To prepare clarified butter, cut unsalted butter into small pieces and melt in a saucepan over low heat, simmering undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes but not allowing butter to sizzle, until fats separate. Strain mixture, discarding white milk solids and retaining clear yellow clarified butter. Refrigerate in a tightly sealed glass container for up to 1 month.

5 eggs plus 1 egg white

2 c. whole milk

6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm to the touch

1 3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

6 tsp. clarified butter for pans (see Note)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs and egg white until pale and frothy, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, heat milk in microwave oven (or in a saucepan over low heat) until it is just warm to the touch. Add milk to eggs and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add butter and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Reduce speed to low, add flour and salt and mix just until batter is consistency of heavy cream (a few lumps may remain) and lightly bubbled, about 30 seconds. Cover with plastic wrap and let batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place 1/2 teaspoon clarified butter in each popover tin. Loosely cover pan with aluminum foil, place pan on a baking sheet and preheat pan for at least 15 minutes. Transfer batter into a container with a spout. When pans are hot, remove from oven, remove and discard aluminum foil and carefully pour batter into prepared cups, filling just under two-thirds full. Return popover pan to oven (keep pan on baking sheet) and bake 25 minutes. Without opening door, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake an additional 14 to 18 minutes until popovers are golden brown. Remove from oven and let popovers rest 1 minute before gently lifting popovers from pans (some may require a little nudging with a dull-edged knife). Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories-194

Fat-12 g

Sodium-244 mg

Carbohydrates-16 g

Saturated fat-6 g

Calcium-61 mg

Protein-6 g

Cholesterol-113 mg

Dietary fiber-1 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 other carb, 1 medium-fat meat, 1 1/2 fat

The story also included these tips:

Cover up. Blanketing the popover pan with aluminum foil during preheating will prevent the clarified butter from splattering.

Skip the cooking spray. Nonstick cooking sprays are convenient, but they can also negatively impact flavor and texture (ditto vegetable oil). Use clarified butter.

Keep it shut. Popovers are steam-driven, and allowing the oven's heat to escape may cause deflation, especially early in the baking process.

Fill them up. If you run out of batter, fill any remaining empty cups with water.

Invest wisely. Custard cups and muffin tins are OK, but they don't give the distinctive hot-air balloon shape that comes from a popover pan's deep, narrow cups. Expect to pay $20 for a decent six-cup, nonstick popover pan.

Take a break. Resting the batter for a half-hour after mixing allows the flour's glutens to relax a bit. Just don't make it any further in advance, and forget about freezing it; this is a fresh batter.