Gluten Free Popovers
Rolls and Popovers are a true staple for the holidays. This is a recipe I have adapted from my favorite Gluten Free flower brand, King Arthurs Flour.
These popovers are crisp on the outside, nicely moist within. Their crowned tops leave lots of room for melting butter and jam. And these popovers are so easy, you don't even need to use a mixer.
Gluten Free Popovers
Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk, slightly warm (milk can be almond or coconut)
4 large eggs (FLAX EGGS do NOT work)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup fresh herbs (can use thyme, rosemary, chives)
OPTIONAL 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup popover pan or standard muffin pan.
TIP: Popover batter is easiest made in a blender.
2. Blend eggs, butter, and milk on medium speed in the blender until the mixture is uniform.
3. Whisk the flour or flour blend in a bowl with the xanthan gum and salt.
4. Spoon or pour the dry ingredients into the blender, then blend at medium-high speed until batter is smooth. A few tiny lumps are OK, but if you have more lumps than that, keep blending till they disappear.
NOTES: If you don't have a blender, whisk together the eggs, butter, and milk in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour or flour blend with the xanthan gum and salt, then gradually sift and whisk into the liquid ingredients until you have a smooth batter. If, despite your best efforts, there are more than a few tiny lumps, strain them out of your batter with a sieve.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the popovers are deep brown.
6. Remove from the oven, prick the side of each popover with a sharp knife to let the steam out, and let popovers rest for 5 minutes to finish setting. Remove from the pan, and serve immediately. Or, to keep them crisp longer, allow them to sit in the turned-off oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Tips
Gluten-free starches and flours tend to lump fairly easily. In recipes like popovers, with lots of liquid, this can be a challenge. Unlike pancakes, where small lumps disappear as the pancake cooks, these lumps can weigh popovers down. That's why a blender is so useful here. A blender works really well for regular all-purpose flour popovers, too, making their preparation a snap.
Note: For a dairy-free version of these popovers, substitute margarine for the butter; and soy milk, almond milk, or rice milk for the milk called for in the recipe. The popovers won't "pop;" they'll look like flat muffins. But they'll still taste good.
For extra-light, crisp popovers, substitute 1/4 cup potato starch, tapioca starch, or cornstarch for 1/4 cup of the gluten-free flour.For flavored popovers, whisk 1 teaspoon dry mustard and 1 teaspoon curry powder into the dry ingredients; and 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce into the egg/milk.
This Recipe was adapted from King Arthur's Flour Website.