Why it works: Milk and flour are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 78,219 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
House Popovers
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the batter
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Beat the 2 eggs at high speed in an electric mixer bowl until lemon colored (two to three minutes).
On slowest speed add very slowly 1/2 cup of the milk; beat until well mixed.
Sift and measure flour, salt and soda; add slowly (with mixer on low speed) the dry ingredients.
When mixed, stop the beater, scrape the sides of the bowl with spatula, turn to medium speed and add slowly the rest of the milk; beat two minutes.
Turn to high speed and beat five to seven minutes.
Batter should be smooth and about the thickness of heavy cream.
Fill and bake
Pour batter through strainer, and then into well greased muffin tins, or custard cups.
It is not necessary to heat these before using.
If a muffin tin is used, fill the end cups only and to the top if you wish high, large popovers.
Bake on middle shelf of preheated oven, 425°F for the first fifteen minutes.
Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer.
They are best when served at once, but may be kept in oven for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Milk + flourtop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together78,219 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Egg + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Egg + milktop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Milk and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 78,219 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Provide the structure that lets the batter puff and hold its shape as steam expands it.
- Whole milk
- Adds moisture that turns to steam in the oven, helping the popovers rise.
- All-purpose flour
- Forms the gluten network that sets the walls of the popovers as they bake.
- Baking soda
- Adds a small amount of leavening to help the batter rise.
The step that matters
Keep the oven closed during the first bake. Popovers rise by steam expanding the batter quickly in a hot oven. Opening the door releases heat and steam, and the walls can collapse before they set.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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