popovers---sometimes mine puff up, sometimes not. What is wrong?

I have tried everything. Room temp for all ingredients, sifting flour. Changing the order I add the ingredients. DOesn't seem to matter…help?

Emily B
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5 Comments

Bevi
Bevi May 23, 2014
All of the above, plus, don't prematurely open the oven door.
 
aargersi
aargersi May 22, 2014
I am in the Hot Oven Is Key camp - that is what makes the batter steam and the popover PUFF - I follow this recipe / instructions and it works every time - he explains why you need a hot oven and room temp ingredients:

https://food52.com/recipes/8142-popovers
 
bigpan
bigpan May 21, 2014
I share your pain, and have for a few decades.
My secret now is a blazing hot oven ... 425F will do, put in a good healthy amount of beef fat (1/8") in a pre heated muffin tin, fill 3/4 with batter, into hot hot oven ... watch ... watch ... pull out when puffed up and serve immediately.
Gravy - yes
Horseradish - absolutely
 
dinner A.
dinner A. May 21, 2014
This is exactly the frustrating situation I was in, until I came upon two factors that seem to ensure foolproof popovers:

1. Fill the cups nearly full. A lot of popover recipes tell you to fill the cups half full; in my experience this is a recipe for disappointingly un-pouffy popovers.

2. Preheat the tin. I just put it in the oven when I start preheating it.

Other than that, there may be other variables that matter but I haven't tested them. I follow a recipe that I think is identical to the Cook's Illustrated recipe, although that recipe prohibits greasing the tins with butter, which I usually do. I do start with room temp ingredients, adding first the liquid ingredients, then the dry ingredients to a blender, then blending on low until smooth (around 20 s maybe?), then adding in melted butter and blending a few seconds more to incorporate. This rests 20-30 minutes before baking.

Hope your popovers pop!
 
CH-4500
CH-4500 May 21, 2014
Popovers not popping is a real bummer! My family and I have made popovers for years and never had a problem with the height ( had other problems with them sticking to the pan though ). But one key part that I think is very important in my recipe that I always always do is - beat the mixture 2.5 minutes. As long as you do that, I don't think preheating, sifting or room temp ingredients will make all that much difference. I don't know, but the beating for 2.5 minutes is the one consistent variable in my case. Good luck !
 
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