Classic Popovers, Gluten Free

Instructions

1. 1

   Set up the oven

   Move one rack to the lowest third of the oven and shift every other rack well out of the way, since the popovers will climb several inches above the rim of the pan. Heat the oven to 450°F and give it a full 20 minutes past the beep to come fully up to temperature. An oven that is even 25 degrees short will give you squat, dense popovers.

2. 2

   Mix the batter

   Whisk the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, and salt together in a small bowl so the gum is evenly dispersed; dumped in on its own it clumps into gel beads. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs for about 20 seconds, then whisk in the lukewarm milk. Add the dry mixture and whisk until completely smooth, then whisk in the melted butter until the surface looks foamy. There is no gluten to overwork, so whisk as long as you need to for a lump-free batter.

3. 3

   Rest the batter

   Cover and leave the batter at room temperature for 30 minutes. Gluten-free starches and rice flour absorb liquid slowly, and this rest is what turns a gritty, thin batter into a smooth one that can hold steam. The batter will thicken noticeably as it sits; if it has gone thicker than heavy cream, whisk in a tablespoon or two of milk before pouring.

4. 4

   Grease and heat the pan

   In the last 10 minutes of resting, rub the softened butter generously over the inside of every cup of a 6-cup popover pan, right up over the rim and across the top surface of the pan. Slide the empty pan into the hot oven for 5 minutes so the butter is sizzling when the batter hits it.

5. 5

   Fill and bake

   Stir the rested batter gently to recombine any settled starch, then pour it into a spouted measuring cup. Pull the hot pan out, set it on a trivet, and fill each cup about three-quarters full. Return it to the lower rack and bake at 450°F for 20 minutes without opening the door even once.

6. 6

   Drop the heat and finish

   Without opening the door, reduce the oven to 350°F and bake another 15 to 18 minutes. Gluten-free popovers need the longer end of that range and a darker, more deeply browned shell than wheat ones before their walls are set; if they still look matte or feel soft at the sides, give them 3 more minutes. Underbaked gluten-free popovers collapse almost instantly.

7. 7

   Vent and serve

   Pierce the side of each popover with a paring knife the moment the pan leaves the oven to release steam, then turn them out onto a rack. These are best eaten within 15 minutes, as gluten-free shells soften faster than wheat ones.

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Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Cold eggs and milk slow the rise. If you forgot to set them out, warm whole eggs in a bowl of hot tap water for 10 minutes and heat the milk for 20 seconds in the microwave.

• 2.

  No popover pan? A standard 12-cup metal muffin tin works. Fill 9 cups two-thirds full, leave the rest empty, and cut 5 minutes off each baking stage.

• 3.

  Measure flour by weight if you can. An extra two tablespoons of packed flour thickens the batter enough to noticeably shorten the rise.

• 4.

  If the tops are browning fast at the 15-minute mark, slide a baking sheet onto a high rack to shield them rather than opening the door to rearrange things.

• 5.

  For a drier, sturdier shell that holds its shape longer, after the bake turn the oven off, prick the popovers, and leave them in the closed oven for 5 more minutes.

• 6.

  Resist the urge to open the oven. Steam is the only leavener in this batter, and losing it mid-bake is the single most common reason popovers deflate.