Herbed Popovers with Parmesan & Thyme

by Angela Gallardo in Recipes, Sides & Snacks

3 comments

I am thoroughly obsessed with all things baked and eggy and airy.  I’ll take a crepes or german pancakes or a soufflé any day over cake.

Of course, since eating a Paleo-centered diet, these things are a little harder to come by.  I’ve been without my eggy, airy baked goods for a long time now.  Though I remedied a few of these in the last book 😉.  And while I don’t think of popovers often (only once a month, maybe more…), that doesn’t mean I’m okay going without them forever.

So I sprung for a popover pan to work on this recipe.  Which seems silly, considering the whole trailer thing.  But I’m telling you, I don’t regret for a second making the room.  My friend Rachael over at Meatified mentioned she grew up making yorkshire puddings (a very close relative to popovers) in muffin tins growing up so my guess is they should work just fine.   You’ll just end up with more than 6 popovers since muffin cups are not as deep as popover cups.

There are notes below for those with questions on starches and dairy-free alternatives.  Whatever you do, don’t open the oven door until 35 minutes of baking time has passed!  I learned this the hard way, considering I have no oven light/window, and came out with a few flat & dense batches of popovers.

If you make these with any variations, please let me know!

Get a printable PDF of the recipe

Herbed Popovers

(grain-free with dairy-free options)

Cook time: 1 hour

Yields: 6 popovers

1 c. canned light coconut milk

3 eggs

2 tbsp. butter, ghee, or coconut oil

1 tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

2 tbsp. grated raw parmesan cheese*

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1/2 c. cassava flour (use the scoop and sweep method and do not pack the flour in)

2 tbsp. potato starch**

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400F and place an oven rack in the middle.  Have a 6-cup non-stick popover pan ready.

Add the coconut milk, eggs, butter, sea salt, pepper, parmesan cheese (if using), and thyme to a blender.  Blend on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, about 15 seconds.

Add the cassava flour and potato starch to the blender.  Blend on medium to incorporate.  Let the batter rest for a few minutes.  Then blend again on high speed for about 10 seconds.

Place the popover pan in the oven for 5-10 minutes toward the end of the preheating time.  Once the oven is ready.  Remove the pan and fill the cups just over halfway with the batter (you should hear a bit of sizzling).  Quickly move the pan back into the oven to cook.

Bake for 35 minutes without opening the oven door (this is important: steam inside the oven helps the popovers to rise).  The tops should be medium golden brown.  If they are only lightly golden, add another 5 minutes to the time.

Dump the cooked popovers out onto a cooling rack.  Prick the top of each one with a sharp knife in an ‘X’ shape to let steam escape — this keeps them from getting too soft inside.  Allow them to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

*For a plain version (great for filling with fruit or jam): leave out the black pepper, parmesan, and thyme

**Arrowroot or tapioca starch should work in place of potato starch but the exterior will come out a little less crisp.  If you try it, let me know!