Happy National Blueberry Popover Day!

Am I really the last to learn that tomorrow – March 10 – is none other than “National Blueberry Popover Day”???

Please tell me I’m not.

I received an e-mail about it today, along with a recipe from Executive Pastry Chef Hugo Reyes from Blue Fin Restaurant in New York City. A quick search on the internet and sure enough, National Blueberry Popover Day is, indeed, “a thing”! Check it out here: http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/National_Symbols/American_Hollidays.html

I love popovers and was planning on doing a post/tutorial anyway, so why not today?

People are intimidated by popovers – they are sort of like the souffle of the bread world. You want a nice, tall “rise” and a hollow, yet cooked-through, interior. The truth is, popovers couldn’t be easier to make, as long as you follow a few simple rules:

1. Buy a popover pan. Popover pans are different from muffin tins. The cups are taller, for one, and they are separated from one another to allow for even heat circulation. This is critical for achieving a light, airy result. Can you use a muffin tin? Sure. But you won’t get popovers. You’ll get muffins.

2. Pre-heat the pan. Even if your recipe doesn’t call for it, do it anyway – for about 2 minutes. A hot pan is essential for that quick rise when the batter goes into the oven.

3. Your recipe should instruct you to melt a little butter in each cup just before adding the batter. Do NOT skip this step. As the butter heats up it pushes steam through the batter, creating the height that is the hallmark of a perfect popover.

4. You can make the batter the night before and keep it in the fridge. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature prior to baking.

5. Serve these babies immediately! Nothing is sadder than a “deflated” popover. Time it to serve them fresh out of the oven. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Ready? Let’s bake!

Blueberry Popovers
adapted from Blue Fin

1 1/4 c. flour (175 g.)
1/4 t. salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 c. milk
1 T. butter, melted
2 T. butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen do not thaw)

confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a popover pan and heat in the oven for 2 minutes. While pan is heating combine flour, salt, eggs, milk and melted butter in a blender - mix for 1-2 minutes, or until mixture is the consistency of heavy cream.**

Remove pan from oven and place a piece of butter in each cup – return to oven until butter is melted and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Fill each cup with batter and sprinkle with blueberries.

Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove from oven, dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.

** If you don’t have a blender you can whisk the batter vigorously by hand, or use the whisk attachment of your stand mixer.

Sheri Silver writes the blog donuts, dresses and dirt (www.sherisilver.com).