Hazelnut and Fresh Herb Popovers
November 16, 2009 posted by Linda Avery
by Diane Morgan
from The New Thanksgiving Table
(Chronicle Books, 2009)
Makes 12 popovers
You’re probably reading this recipe and thinking—how could I possibly pull off popovers at Thanksgiving? The trick is to have the popover batter made, the butter melted, and the pan ready. As soon after the turkey comes out of the oven the muffin tin gets heated, buttered, and the hazelnut popovers go in. The burst of heat makes them puff and crisp—with a golden, nutty exterior and a soft, hollow interior. These popovers are divine.—Diane Morgan
convert Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 1/4 cups milk
3 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
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Method
1. In a medium bowl, or preferably a 4-cup glass measuring cup, combine the flour, hazelnuts, pepper, and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and then add the parsley and chives. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Let the batter stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Whisk before using.
2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C). Have ready a standard 12-cup muffin pan, preferably nonstick.
3. Place the muffin pan in the oven for about 10 minutes until hot. Remove the hot muffin pan from the oven. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the muffin cups with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups. Without opening the oven door at any time, bake the popovers for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and continue to bake the popovers for 7 to 10 minutes longer until puffy and golden brown. Turn the popovers out of the pan, loosening them with the edge of a paring knife, if necessary. Serve immediately.
Do Ahead: The popover batter can be made up to 2 hours in advance. The popovers are best when baked right before serving.
Recipe © 2008 Diane Morgan. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
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[Cindi Kruth] I love popovers and have often added herbs, but I never tried them with nuts. It turns out they are really delicious that way. This recipe was straightforward and easy, and I plan to experiment with different nuts in the near future.
The recipe doesn’t say how much you should fill the muffin cups, however. In portioning them equally, I filled each cup about halfway. The popovers rose dramatically, at least 1 inch over the top of the pan, and were indeed crisp, golden and nutty, yet soft and creamy. My batch was a little darker than the recipe photo. The most time-consuming part of this recipe was preparing the ground nuts. If you can find hazelnuts already toasted and ground, that would help save time.