Cheese Popovers

 I have had a popover pan for years and it is always fun to make popovers for a meal.  I found this recipe in an old (2006) Saveur magazine I bought at a garage sale! The recipe is made quite different from the one I usually make. Also it does say the secret to making them light, oversize and beautifully puffed up is to bake them in a convection oven.

Cheese Popovers

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk, warmed
• nonstick cooking spray 
• 1 cup finely grated gruyere cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat convection oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift flour and salt together in a medium bowl.  Set aside
3. Put eggs into a bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat eggs on medium low until frothy and slightly thicker, about 3 minutes.  Increase speed to medium high and beat eggs until thickened, 1-2 minutes more.  Increase speed to high and beat eggs until very thick and foamy, about 2 1/2 minutes more. 
4. With the motor still running, add half of the milk and mix until well combined.  Then add half of the flour mixture and mix until well combined.  Scrape down bowl.  Repeat process with remaining milk and flour mixture. Strain batter through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.  Set aside to let rest for 5 minutes, then skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface.
5. Generously spray the insides and edges of 6 (2/3 cup) nonstick popover tins with  cooking spray.  Divide batter between the tins. Carefully top each popover with 2-3 tbsp. cheese.  Put in oven to bake, rotating halfway through, until popovers are deep golden brown and puffed, about 50 minutes.
6. Popovers may be eaten immediately or allowed to cool on a wire rack and then reheated in a 350 degree oven.

Orange and Poppy Seed Cake

 My daughter found this recipe and shared it with me. If you like orange and poppy seed this is a cake to try.  The frosting makes a lot, so it could probably be cut in half.

Orange and Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients:

Orange and Poppy Seed cake

• 1 1/2 cups (210 grams) flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
• 2 T. poppy seeds
• Zest of one orange
• 3 T. fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Orange cream cheese frosting

• 1/2 cup (115 grams) butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup (250 grams) cream cheese, room temperature 
• 3 cups (375 grams) powdered sugar
• 1-2 T orange juice
• Orange zest to decorate, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and line an 8 or 9 inch round cake tin with baking or parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar, poppy seeds and orange zest.  Stir briefly to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, add orange juice, oil, eggs and vanilla.  Whisk briefly just to break up the egg yolks.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, along with the yogurt and milk, and gently mix until combine - but be careful not to over mix. Spoon batter into prepared tin.
5. Bake cake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To make the cream cheese frosting, add butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.  Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and continue to beat until smooth.
7. Add orange juice and mix until frosting is creamy.  Taste and add extra orange juice if needed.  Generously frost the top fo the cake.  Scatter over fresh orange zest.