at last

It is a well-known fact that I like cheese and that I like quick breads. After all, the very first food post I made here was about cheese scones.

So when I saw a recipe for cheesy popovers, I was intrigued. I didn't really know what popovers were, but they sounded easy enough. Months passed, though, before I got around to attempting them.


You may remember that attempt. It was not exactly a success, though unlike some other kitchen failures, it was edible. And then like a crazy person, I tried again the next night. Still nothing.

I wasn't ready to give up on these yet, though. So I went to the source: Joy of Cooking. It's only steered me wrong once, and I can forgive it that. Their recipe laid it all out: no peeking. None. Not even a little bit. It had specific baking times. I mean, come on, it's one of the most famous cookbooks for a reason.


That is what I am talking about! Look at that! Popping! That, dear reader, is a baking victory. And those always feel good. (Yeah, those ones in the front of the picture did not pop. I got ambitious in the amount of popovers I tried to make. As it turns out, you cannot make an entire muffin tin's worth with this batter. C'est la vie.)

I wanted to make sure, though, that it wasn't just a fluke. So I made them again, and sure enough, they popped. Here is the key, though: no peeking!

Parmesan & Thyme Popovers
idea from White on Rice Couple, recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking

1 c. milk
1 tbsp melted butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 tbsp thyme
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450°F. Grease a muffin tin.

In a medium bowl, mix together the milk, butter, flour, and salt. Be careful not to over-mix; it should just start blending together. Beat in the eggs one at a time, again being careful not to over-beat. Stir in the thyme. The mixture at this point should not be too thick.

Drop 1 tablespoon of the batter into half the spaces on a regular muffin tin. (This makes eight popovers - though if you prefer or want smaller popovers, you could eke out twelve.) Sprinkle the cheese on top of the batter, distributing evenly, then top off with the rest of the batter.

Bake for 15 minutes. At this point, turn the temperature down to 350°F and bake for another 20 minutes. And this part is important: do not peek. Seriously. It will bring you nothing but heartache and unpopped popovers.

Serve warm.

(But don't listen to them when they say they are only good hot. I accidentally left the tin out while I hung out with Daniel for the afternoon, and came back and, um, ate them all. They were delicious.)