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These airy blueberry and raspberry popovers turn basic ingredients into stunning, tall treats that puff up dramatically while baking. They combine a light, fluffy inside with a crispy outside, making the perfect home for sweet berries that pop with flavor as they cook.
I first tried popovers at a Sunday meal at my grandma's place. Her trick was to let the mix sit all night, which helped them grow even taller. Now I whip up these berry-filled versions whenever I want to make breakfast feel fancy without spending all day cooking.
What You'll Need
- Plain flour: 200 grams. Forms the base of your popovers. Don't skip sifting if you want them to rise well.
- Salt: 1/4 tsp. Brings out all the tastes and cuts through sweetness.
- Whole milk: 250 milliliters. Make sure it's not cold for proper puffing. The fat helps make them rich.
- Large eggs: 4. Warm eggs mix in better. They help the popovers stand tall and firm.
- Blueberries: 30. Pick firm ones that aren't too soft to avoid making your popovers soggy.
- Raspberries: 12. Fresh ones add a tangy kick and pretty red spots.
- Maple syrup: 30 grams. Gives a richer sweetness than plain sugar ever could.
- Unsalted butter: 60 grams. The cold butter makes steam that helps them rise big. Good butter means better taste.
- Double cream: To serve. This rich topping melts perfectly on hot popovers.
- Icing sugar: As needed. A light sprinkle makes them look fancy and adds sweetness.
How To Make Them
- Mix your batter:
- Put flour and salt through a sieve into a big bowl to get rid of clumps. Throw in eggs, milk, and maple syrup, then beat hard until it's bubbly and smooth. Cover it with plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but overnight works even better, so the flour can rest properly.
- Get your oven and pans ready:
- Turn your oven up to 220°C/200°C fan. Drop about 5 grams of cold butter into each spot in your popover pan or muffin tin. Once the oven's hot, put the pan in for 2 minutes until the butter's melted and bubbling.
- Pour the batter:
- Put your cold batter into a pitcher to make pouring easy. Take the hot pan out carefully and quickly fill each cup about three-quarters full. Move fast to keep the pan hot but be careful to pour the same amount in each cup.
- Drop in fruit:
- Place blueberries and raspberries on top of each cup of batter. They'll sink a bit as everything cooks and rises. Make sure each popover gets a fair share of fruit.
- First bake:
- Put the filled pan in the hot oven and bake at 220°C/200°C fan for 15 minutes. Don't open the door! That first blast of heat makes the steam that helps them puff up big.
- Lower heat and finish:
- Turn the oven down to 200°C/180°C fan and keep baking for another 15-20 minutes until they've grown tall and turned a nice golden color.
- Eat right away:
- Take them out of the oven and gently pull the popovers from the pan. Sprinkle lots of icing sugar on top and serve with whipped cream or ice cream while they're still warm for the best look and taste.
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The best moment I had with these popovers was last summer when my niece helped me cook them. She couldn't believe her eyes as she watched them grow huge in the oven window. There's something truly amazing about how much they rise that wows kids and grown-ups too.
How To Get Amazing Height
The trick to tall popovers is all about temperature differences. Your mix should be cold from the fridge while your pan needs to be super hot. This big temperature gap creates steam that makes popovers shoot up. Never peek by opening the oven during the first 20 minutes or they'll fall flat. The butter in each cup should sizzle when you pour in the batter but shouldn't burn before the batter starts to set.
Prep Them Earlier
While these taste best right out of the oven, you can mix the batter up to 24 hours ahead. Just give it a quick stir before using. If you need to bake them earlier, warm already cooked popovers in a 150°C oven for about 5 minutes before eating. They'll get a bit crispy again but won't be as amazing as fresh ones. For busy weeks, you can freeze baked popovers for up to a month and heat them from frozen at 180°C for 7-8 minutes.
Change With The Seasons
This basic recipe shows how popovers can work with many different fruits. In fall, try chunks of apple with cinnamon sugar. Winter is perfect for orange zest and cranberries for holiday meals. Spring calls for strawberries and lemon zest, while summer lets you use any berries you can find. Want something savory? Skip the maple syrup and berries and add herbs, cheese, or even small bits of ham or bacon. The plain popover batter works great with almost any flavors you like.
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Popovers nail that sweet spot between easy and fancy, making them a go-to treat no matter what the occasion.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why do I need to let the batter rest?
Giving your mix time to sit for at least 30 minutes lets the flour soak up liquid and the gluten chill out. This makes your popovers much fluffier with that big rise and hollow middle everyone wants.
- → Can I use frozen berries instead of fresh?
Sure thing. Frozen berries work fine but they tend to be juicier when baked. To keep your popovers from getting soggy, use them still frozen and maybe use a bit less than called for or roll them in some flour first.
- → Why is preheating the pan with butter important?
Warming up the pan with butter makes the batter start rising right away when it hits the hot surface. The warm butter also stops sticking and adds a nice flavor while making the outside crispy.
- → Can I make the batter ahead of time?
You bet! The recipe says you can keep the mix in the fridge overnight. This doesn't just save you time but can actually make them turn out better as the flour gets totally soaked and the gluten relaxes completely.
- → Why do popovers sometimes collapse?
Popovers might fall flat if you take them out too soon, if you peek by opening the oven door, or if your oven isn't hot enough. The two-step cooking method in this recipe helps them form shape first, then get golden and firm up properly.
- → Can I use a different type of berries?
For sure. Try blackberries or cut-up strawberries instead. Just watch out for how juicy and sweet they are, and maybe add more or less maple depending on what berries you pick.