One of my fondest childhood memories is going into the city with my mom. We would sit down at the Popover Café and order the popovers with strawberry butter. They came tall and golden, still warm when pulled open, the butter melting into the hollow center as the steam rose up between us.
The café is long gone now, but these popovers bring me back to those mornings. The batter is blended until smooth and airy with a little sourdough stirred in, then baked in a hot oven until the tops rise tall and deeply golden. The strawberry butter is the part I remember most.
Baker’s Notes
I prefer my popovers dramatic and generously filled. In my pan, this batter makes 4–5 large popovers. If you’d like six, simply fill the wells a little less full.
A popover tin gives you the tallest rise, though a standard muffin tin works well too. Fill every other well so they have space to lift and turn golden.
Adding the tablespoon of melted butter to the batter gives a slightly richer flavor and a softer interior. Leaving it out creates a lighter popover with more lift. Butter the pan well before baking, either way.
Let them bake until deeply golden. That extra color brings crisp edges and a warm, airy center. Pierce the sides as soon as they come out of the oven and let them rest briefly before serving.
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Sourdough Popovers
Description
Makes 6 popovers
Ingredients
Sourdough Popovers
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (240 g) whole milk, room temperature
½ cup (125 g) sourdough discard, room temperature
¾ cup (90 g) bread flour
¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted butter, cooled slightly (optional)
Melted butter, for brushing the pan
Whipped Strawberry Butter
makes about ¾ cup
¾ cup (170 g) high-quality unsalted butter, very soft
1 cup (150 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
1½ tablespoons (18 g) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons (12 g) freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (12 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
Sourdough Popovers
- Place a popover tin in the oven and preheat to 425°F. Let the pan heat for at least 15 minutes.
- In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, sourdough discard, bread flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and the melted butter (if using). Blend until completely smooth, 20–30 seconds.
- Carefully remove the hot pan. Generously brush each well with melted butter.
- Pour the batter into the wells, filling them about ¾ to nearly full.
- Bake at 425°F for 18 minutes.
- Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake another 18–20 minutes, until deeply golden brown and crisp. The popovers should feel light and sound hollow when tapped.
- Remove from the oven and immediately pierce the side of each popover with a small knife to release steam. Let cool 5–10 minutes before serving.
Whipped Strawberry Butter
- In a small saucepan, combine the strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and pinch of salt. Cook over medium, stirring and mashing, 6–8 minutes until fully broken down and glossy.
- Press through a fine-mesh sieve. Return the purée to the pan and simmer until thick and concentrated, reduced to about 2–3 tablespoons. Cool completely.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the softened butter until pale and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Add the cooled strawberry concentrate gradually and beat until smooth.
- Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder, salt, and powdered sugar. Whip 2–3 minutes more until light and airy.
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