I first shared this
recipe about a year and a half ago and I had a request to share it once again so I thought I would - this time with a few updated recipe notes.
We make make these popovers for our clients 4-5 days a week and after a couple of years of making them over and over we've learned a thing or two. This might sound silly but you can't fret over them too much. If they get too much attention - they tend to disappoint in size and texture. There are parts of the prep and cook process that are more important than others and I've bolded them below.
Cave Aged Gruyure Popovers
makes 18 mini (or 9 large) popovers
Ingredients
6 large eggs
3 cups AP Flour
3 cups Whole Milk
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
9 oz Shredded Gruyere for topping
Couple Sprigs of Thyme
Pan Coating Spray
Special Equipment: Popover Pan
Method
1. Heat oven to 400. Once it reaches temperature, place the empty popover pan in the oven to preheat for 5 minutes.
2. Heat the milk in a saucepan with the sprigs of thyme (just place them in whole) and you don't want the milk to boil - heat until just under, where you are seeing little bubbles collect around the top edges of the milk. Remove the thyme sprig.
3. Crack the eggs in a bowl and whisk together until frothy
4. In a separate bowl, add the flour and salt.
5. Carefully whisk the warm milk into the eggs - slowly so you don't curdle the eggs - and then add the flour and salt mixture. Whisk until just combined.
6. Pull the hot pan from the oven and spray with oil, then ladle the warm batter into each compartment (almost all the way to the top) and sprinkle with cheese.
7. Place the pan back in the oven for 30 minutes then turn heat down to 375 and cook for 30 min more.
// A Couple of Things to Remember //
1. Never open the oven once the popovers are in (they are like little soufflés and will cave in if you aren't careful)
2. Always place the popovers toward the bottom of the oven (as far as racks are concerned) and pull out the rack above them because they are going to rise up super huge and need their space
3. Lastly, as soon as the popovers come out, if you aren't going to serve them that very second, grab a pairing knife and quickly pierce a small hole in the top of each one so that some of the steam can escape and they will stay nice and big and pretty much longer on your table, otherwise they will cave in and shrink in minutes.
xx
