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.