Until I made these, I had never tasted a true popover.
They always looked golden, puffy, crispy and irresistible — enough to threaten my jean size — but I’d never been much of a bread person.
Then I found the tiny gorgonzola popovers in my Williams Sonoma cookbook and everything changed.
I’d also happily live inside the Williams Sonoma catalog, please and thank you.
If you’ve been following along, you know I’m a complete sucker for gorgonzola. I would bathe in it if I could.
I recognize, though, that not everyone loves gorgonzola — the idea of moldy cheese can be off-putting. The good news is these popovers are wonderful with almost any cheese.
Try smoked cheddar, asiago, gruyère, havarti — any of those would be delicious.
You can buy a popover pan, but I used mini muffin tins and they worked perfectly. I’d love a dedicated pan, but my kitchen is dangerously crowded with gadgets — buying another might spark domestic unrest.
Still, these tiny treats are worth it. They’re perfect for a dinner party and I love how small and elegant they are.
I haven’t tried them with whole wheat flour yet, so if you have, I’d be curious how they turn out.
Gorgonzola Popovers
Makes about 25–30 mini popovers
Adapted from Williams Sonoma
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1/4 cups milk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon butter, melted
3–4 oz gorgonzola (or your preferred cheese)
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450°F (232°C).
Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper and chopped parsley. In a separate container, combine the milk, eggs and melted butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined; a few small lumps are fine.
Fill each muffin cup with batter to within about 1/4 inch of the rim. Place a teaspoon of gorgonzola in the center of each portion of batter.
Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes without opening the oven. Reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking until the popovers are golden, puffed and set, about 8–10 more minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool briefly. Serve immediately for best texture.
Are you a bread person? I’m pretty much an everything person — except vegetables. I’d label myself a cheese person and a bacon person, definitely.
Mr. How Sweet is very much a meat person. And a bit fond of strong smells.