Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers Recipe
Popovers, Puddings and Chocolate!
Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers
Recipe
Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers
When is a Yorkshire pudding a dessert, when it is a Popover of course, although I remember having Yorkshire pudding served with jam, honey and golden syrup for Sunday tea, so we also serve our national pudding as a sweet treat too. So what are popovers? Popovers are a well-loved American classic, made with a Yorkshire pudding type batter that are baked in a muffin tin/pan, although you can buy special “popover pans” in the States, that are straight sided rather than slightly angled; they are a usually hollow, light and very puffy, making them the perfect vehicle for adding fillings. Popovers are often served for breakfast, with fruit and syrups, as well as a dessert with whipped cream and as accompaniments to roast meats, just like our Yorkshire puddings. The name “popover” comes from the fact that the batter swells or “pops” over the top of the muffin tin while baking. Another name for them is Lapplander, which comes from the name of the nomadic reindeer herders in Lapland, although why they should be named after Laplanders is something I have not been able to find out.
Popover Pans and Popovers
But back to my recipe for today, a sweet recipe for an indulgent dessert, Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers. The recipe I have shared is an adapted recipe that I discovered in the Reader’s Digest Baking Bible cookbook, and id rather special as the popovers have some French “perles de prune” added in them for a chocolatey hit! My perles de prune were part of a “goodie bag” I brought back from a recent press trip to Sarlat, and are made with grapes that have been soaked in “La Vieille Prune”, a local liqueur, before being coated with dark chocolate. Malcolm and I love them and he was most perturbed when I decided to add a few to my popovers! It was a random idea and it worked like a dream – the popovers rose, just as they should do, and the boozy chocolate coated fruit sank to the bottom so you had an amazing molten mess of chocolate and fruit to enjoy whilst eating them.
Perles de Prune
And why would I add chocolate to my popovers? As I mentioned before, it was a random idea based on the fact that my recipe was part of Dom’s Random Recipes challenge and Choclette’s We Should Cocoa challenge; they both teamed up for February, in an attempt to take over the blogging world no doubt, and so this month’s random recipe theme was chocolate , of course! My randomly selected recipe was on page 51 of the Reader’s Digest Baking Bible, and as the recipe had not a whiff of chocolate in it, I decided to add my own. As my own Tea Time Treats challenge, that I co-host with the lovely Jane, also has a theme of CHOCOLATE this month, I am also adding these to February’s Tea Time Treats challenge.
Popovers, Puddings and Chocolate! Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers Recipe
These wee light and airy treats were enjoyed as a rather naughty dessert the other day and they were truly delectable – light and airy as they should be, with a fabulous hit of sweet fruits to cut through the richness of the chocolate coated raisins. Mini Yorkshire puddings they may be by any other name, they are easy to make and the four that we didn’t eat were popped into the freezer for future popover pleasure! For those of you who like me may be interested in more historical facts about the humble American popover, I have copied some facts below………that’s it for today however, I am about to pop off to prepare and cook Sunday lunch, and I will see you very soon with some more baking recipes, as well as some new 5:2 diet recipes. Karen
Jennifer’s Vintage Cutlery
Disclaimer: You might have notices the beautiful vintage cutlery in my photos; the lovely little fork, knife and two spoons were sent to me to use in my photos from Jennifer’s Vintage Cutlery, a wonderful small UK business run by Jennifer that specialises in on-line vintage luxury cutlery and tableware. With thanks to Jennifer for sending me these assorted pretty pieces, I will be using them frequently (in my images and food styling) I am sure. Karen
Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers
Print recipe
| Serves | 8 popovers |
| Prep time | 45 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 1 hours, 15 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Milk, Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Thanksgiving, Valentines day |
| Region | American |
| From book | Adapted by Karen S Burns-Booth from the Reader's Digest Baking Bible |
Ingredients
Popovers
- butter or cake release spray
- 125g plain flour (1 cup all-purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 2 eggs
- 250mls milk (1 cup)
- 80g chocolate coated raisins or chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
- Icing sugar to sprinkle (confectioner's sugar)
Berry compote
- 360g raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, fresh or frozen (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar (super-fine sugar)
Note
Popovers are an American classic, similar to our own Yorkshire Puddings, these delectable, light and airy little batter cakes make a delicious and easily prepared dessert. You can also make "savoury" popovers to accompany stews and soups, just omit the sugar in the basic batter. (This recipe has been adapted from the Reader's Digest Baking Bible cookbook)
Directions
| Step 1 | Grease 8 cups in a 12 hole deep muffin tin/pan with a little butter or cake release spray and pre-heat oven to 220C/425F/Gas mark 7. |
| Step 2 | Make the popovers: Sift the flour and sugar into a large bowl and make a well in the centre; break the eggs into the well and the milk, combine with a wooden spoon. |
| Step 3 | Using a wire whisk, gradually work the the flour into the egg and milk mixture, as if you were making Yorkshire pudding or pancake batter, until the mixture is a smooth batter with the pouring consistency of single (pouring) cream. Pour the batter into a large jug with a lip, cover with a tea-towel and set to one side to "sit" for 30 minutes. |
| Step 4 | When you are ready to bake the popovers, pour the batter into the 8 prepared cups in the muffin tray/pan, each cup should be two-thirds full and then divide the chocolate coated raisins or chocolate chips between the batter filled cups by dropping them into the middle of the batter. |
| Step 5 | Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the popovers are golden brown, are crisp around the edges and have puffed up. |
| Step 6 | Whilst the popovers are baking, make the berry compote; place all of the fruit into a bowl and add the sugar, mix well and allow to macerate for the cooking time of the popovers. |
| Step 7 | When the popvers are cooked, take them out of the oven and gently unmould them with a knife. Place two popovers per person on a plate and spoon over the berry compote before sprinkling some icing sugar (confectioner's sugar) over the top of the popovers. |
| Step 8 | NB: The chocolate chips and fruit will have dropped to the bottom of the popovers, but this creates a molten chocolatey base of each popover, which is delicious! |
Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers
Making Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers
Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers
Popover History
The popover is an American version of Yorkshire pudding and similar batter puddings made in England since the 17th century, though it has evolved considerably.
The oldest known reference to popovers is in a letter of E. E. Stuart’s in 1850. The first cookbook to print a recipe for popovers was M. N. Henderson, Practical Cooking, 1876.[5] The first book other than a cookbook to mention popovers was Jesuit’s Ring by A. A. Hayes published in 1892.
In American Food (1974), author Evan Jones writes: “Settlers from Maine who founded Portland, Oregon Americanized the pudding from Yorkshire by cooking the batter in custard cups lubricated with drippings from the roasting beef (or sometimes pork); another modification was the use of garlic, and, frequently, herbs. The result is called Portland popover pudding: individual balloons of crusty meat-flavoured pastry.”
Other American popover variations include replacing some of the flour with pumpkin purée and adding spices such as allspice or nutmeg. Most American popovers today, however, are not flavoured with meat or herbs. Instead, they have a buttery taste.
Popovers, Puddings and Chocolate! Mixed Berry and Chocolate Popovers Recipe
Sylvia says
Oh yes please! My kind of breakfast 🙂
Karen says
Pass your plate over Sylvia! 🙂
Catherine says
Oh my! I live in a hot country but I was born and raised in a cold country (North West England). Your recipes,sing to of my childhood, they bring back so many memories, both taste and experience. I learned to make Yorkshire pudding when I was very young ( by my mother) and learned to perfect it in the kitchen of a wonderful woman who looked after me when my mum had to work. Wonderful times and maybe the beginning of my lifelong love of food and cooking. My favourite was lemon and sugar mainly because we didn’t have anything else!
Karen says
THANKS so much Catherine! 🙂 I am so pleased that this post has brought back memories of your childhood! I also LOVE lemon and sugar on Yorkshire’s too, such a comforting taste!
Choclette says
Ahh, you guessed our master plan – the secret is out!!! Thanks for joining in and helping us advance through the serried ranks of blogs 😉
Just adore these popovers Karen, especially now I know what they are. My mother had a friend who did the most amazing High Teas when I was young and she always served up Yorkshire puds to have with jam and clotted cream – I thought it was a Devon thing. Those perles to prune sound fantastic too and I WANT some.
Karen says
I did indeed suss out your master plan Choclette! 🙂 And what a GREAT idea it was too!
Thanks for your very kind comments, and do pop over to Jennifer’s site and maybe mention that you might like to review some cake forks! 😉
Choclette says
Good idea Karen 🙂
Deena kakaya says
Oh that fruit pic is just so juicy and light, now if I were to get that as a breakfast, I would be very happy indeed x
Karen says
Thanks Deena, these popovers and berries were VERY much enjoyed! Karen
corina says
They look really lovely and I like the fact that they have some sweetness in the batter as well. I really love Yorkshire puddings and have always wondered if popovers was just the US name for them
Karen says
Thanks Corina, it appears that popovers are indeed small Yorkshires!
Dominic says
oh my word I think my head may explode from fabulousness!… prunes in chocolate, yorkshire puddings, gorgeous cutlery, i don’t know where to look… love this idea so much… we often had yorkshire with jam when we visited our grandma up in Hull but never down in london… i’ve never officially eaten a popover though so I am keen to try these just to have an excuse to say i’ve made them… they look so adorable, thank you so much for the brilliant entry! xxx
Karen says
Awww…..thanks Dom! I was a little perplexed when this recipe was thrown up as a random recipe, but you know me, I can adapt anything to suit the occasion! xxx
Glamorous Glutton says
Oh I want one of these now. They look wonderful, really wonderful. GG
Karen says
Thanks GG, they were good I have to admit! Karen
What Kate Baked says
I’ve never heard of Popovers before but what a brilliant name for a brilliantly scrumptious sounding dessert! There’s a new supper club in South London that have been creating lots of savoury-desserts a little like these Yorkshire puddings as puds!
Karen says
Thanks Kate, wow, I am on trend then! 🙂
Beth Sachs says
I’ve never heard of these either. I think the kids would love them…
Karen says
The children would LOVE them Beth, and they are easy to make too!
Fiona Maclean says
what cute little pans. I don’t think I’d have put my perles de prunes into anything though, far too nice just to nibble on
Karen says
Well we did eat MOST of them before I added the few I used in the recipe Fiona! They WERE lush!
Lizzy (Good Things) says
Oh Karen, now I have popover pan envy! I have never seen those and I sold cookware for almost a decade! Your popovers sound so good! Yummy.
Karen says
Thanks Lizzy! The popover pans in the photo are by that fab US company, Nordic!
Heidi Roberts says
My sister always asks me to bring yorkshire pudding mix when I visit her in the states! I try to get through it is just as easy to make them from actual ingredients. Either way I love them!!
Karen says
Thanks Heidi, I am so pleased that your sister loves our Yorkshire pudding mix too! 🙂
Tracy Nixon says
Delicious! Had to share on G+!
Karen says
Aw thanks Tracy!
Marla Meridith says
A stunning recipe! Pinned & sharing on Facebook later today 🙂
Karen says
Thanks so much Marla Meridith!
Tina @ The Spicy Pear says
How have i gone through life never trying a popover? Yorkshire pudding as a dessert…yes please! Yours look mouthwateringly good. I am bookmarking this one to try.
Karen says
LOL! Thanks Tina! They were really lovely and of course the added chocolate coated raisins helped too! 🙂
Janie says
Oh scrummy! Jonny makes the best yorkies when he does a roast and he always makes a few too many to have with sugar & lemon the next day like little puffy pancakes! bet the oozy, boozy fruit worked a treat 🙂
Janie x
Karen says
I feel some excess popovers need to be made now Janie! 😉
Jacqueline says
They look good Karen. I’ve never had popovers before.
Karen says
They are just like small Yorkshire puddings but puffier Jac!
Louisa Foti says
I can’t believe I’ve actually not heard of Popovers so was very intrigued to read all about them! Lovely idea, and I’m sure these would be extremely popular with the monsters. I used to adore any leftovers of yorkshire pud with golden syrup, apart the times my Mum decided to scupper my plans by throwing loads of fresh herbs in the batter!
Karen says
Thanks Lou! I only know of them as I used to live in the States and remember having them for brunch in a diner nearby, with maple syrup! Mmmm!Karen
Morgan @ Peaches, Please says
I have to confess: I have a popover pan that I’ve never used. However, I’ve also never thought about using popovers for a sweet concoction like this, which is a really cool idea. Maybe I’ll have to break it out now…
Karen says
Thanks Morgan! I assume you normally eat popovers as a savoury side then?
Rachel Cotterill says
I’ve only had savoury Yorkshire puds, I might have to try this though! 🙂
Karen says
I used to have Yorkshires with jam and golden syrup when I was at my grandmothers, so this sweet recipe wasn’t such a shock!
Susan Elaine Carter says
We had them every Sunday and Monday as kids, depending on how many were left over from Sunday’s roast dinner for six of us. My mum always made loads. She is a North Yorkshire lass, Old Goole, and her Yorkshire Puds were a bit like mini cakes anyway.
She made her own jam so we would have that and when we were older it was Golden Syrup…such a luxury then.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Sorry for the delay in relying to this! My husband is from Goole, and his brother in law is from old Goole! What a coincidence! Thanks for sharing your memories, Karen
ashok says
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Karen Burns-Booth says
It’s my pleasure!