Basic Popovers for the GF Ratio Rally

It is time again for the cyber-bloggers Gluten Free Ratio Rally (for more about this, see this post). The rally for this month is being hosted by Mrs. R. over at Honey from Flinty Rocks.

This month's challenge: Popovers.

From the looks of things, I think that a lot of my fellow bloggers may have already mastered the art of the popover. Maybe this is unusual, but I don't think I've ever had a popover. So that makes it a little difficult to make one. From the descriptions that I've read from other bloggers, I think that my version still needs some work, but that will have to be a later post.

The ratio for popovers is 2:1:1

Two parts liquid: 1 part egg: 1 part flour

Thanks to some great tips from Ginger Lemon Girl about popovers, I think I am well on my way to learning the art of making this bread. It's a very easy bread to make, and I think it has great potential.

My first batch was a total flop. I tried to use more whole grain flours, such as sorghum, but sadly this kind of bread needs the lighter, starchier flours in order to rise the way they're supposed to. The sorghum flour in my first batch made them too heavy.

By the second batch, I learned a few things:
1) Use lighter, starchier flours (as mentioned above)
2) Weighing the eggs first gives me a good base for balancing the ratio of ingredients
3) I need to beat the eggs and milk first before adding the other ingredients (thanks again to tips from other bloggers)

Second time was a little bit better...they were hollow on the inside, a perfect invitation for variations...I stuffed part of one with some grated cheddar that I'd been using for another recipe. I also think it would be good with herbs mixed into the batter, and parmesan sprinkled on top (as I said, variations will have to be covered in another post).

By the third batch, I discovered the wonder of the ounce. Up till this point, I'd been using grams in my ratio baking. And I had been trying to find the perfect amount to use for each flour. I guess because grams more precise, and I'm sort of a perfectionist :) But especially for this recipe, it makes an easy bread even easier.

Basic Popover Recipe

4 oz. eggs (usually 2), at room temperature (pull out of fridge about 30 min. before cooking)
2 oz. white rice flour
1 oz. potato starch
1 oz. brown rice flour
1/4 t. salt
8 oz. almond milk


Place muffin tin (or popover tin, if you have one), in the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and allow metal tin to get very hot. Measure flours in medium bowl, and stir to combine. Set aside.

Beat eggs in another medium bowl. Weigh in almond milk (or half and half, regular milk, or dairy-free milk of choice), and whisk until eggs are well beaten and mixture is combined. Add the flours and salt. Whisk until just combined (I did this by hand, but some say it works better in the blender).

Take tin out of oven (using a potholder!) and grease with cooking spray. Pour batter into tins, about 2/3 full. Bake for 30 minutes. DO NOT open the oven door this entire time! That will mess up the special cooking process of popovers...You'll have to ask someone else exactly what that is, but I know that you're not supposed to do it :)

As soon as the popovers come out of the oven, pierce with a knife to release the steam. The popovers will fall in the middle, but that's ok.

Makes 8 muffin tin popovers, or 4 from a popover tin.
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Here's the entire list of posts, so that you can get even more ideas:

~Mrs. R | Honey From Flinty Rocks    Popovers - Gluten & Dairy Free
Brooke | B & the boy!    Chocolate & Sweet Potato Popovers
Charissa | Zest Bakery    Lemon Vanilla Popovers with Minnesota Raspberries
Claire | My Gluten free home    Chai Popovers
Erin Swing | The Sensitive Epicure    Popovers
Ginger Bardenhagen    chive and black pepper; toasted onion and aleppo pepper
gretchen  |  kumquat    strawberry cream cheese popovers
Jenn | Jenn Cuisine    Chocolate Popovers
Jonathan  |  The Canary Files    Cinnamon & Star Anise Popovers
Mary Fran | FrannyCakes    Gluten-Free Honey Coconut Popovers
Morri  |  Meals With Morri    Little Bitty Popover Bites
Rachel/The Crispy Cook    Corny Popovers
TR | No One Likes Crumbley Cookies    Sweet Cherry Popovers