Hi Roger -
We recently answered a similar question in the Off The Air feature in the January-February issue of the magazine:
A great popover should have a crisp crust, an airy yet custardy interior and—most importantly—its signature billowy shape. A popover pan might appear to be nothing more than a tall muffin tin, but it actually is uniquely designed to deliver these results. Popover pans are designed to convey heat directly to the batter, which is quite wet. As the batter bakes, that heat turns the moisture into steam, causing the popovers’ dramatic rise. The deep cups of a popover pan give the batter plenty of room to rise, and provide support for the sides of the popovers as they do so. The pan shape also promotes swift, even heat distribution, crucial for achieving popovers’ trademark crispy exterior and tender interior. By contrast, the wide, shallow cups of a muffin tin don’t provide the same level of support or space. As a result, popovers baked in muffin pans spread outward rather than upward, resulting in short, squat pucks. Still, we know not everyone has—or wants to buy—a popover pan. So we tested ways to make a standard muffin pan work. For maximum puff, we needed as thin and wet a batter as possible. We started by using low-fat milk instead of whole. We also let the batter rest for 25 minutes to give the flour time to fully hydrate. Next, we skipped nonstick pans. To get the best rise, the batter would need to grip the sides of the cups; nonstick would be too slippery. We filled each cup three-quarters full, but left the two center cups empty to mimic the way a popover pan allows for better heat circulation. Finally (and somewhat unexpectedly), we found we got the best results if near the end of baking we pierced each popover with a skewer. This released steam and let the interiors dry a bit, helping them crisp and hold their shape.
Here is our recipe for popovers that corresponds with these instructions.
Best,
The Milk Street Cooking Team
