Popovers

How beautiful did that last dish of Alice’s look?? The colors and flavors of the rhubarb and the semifreddo seemed like the perfect combination.

I haven’t cooked much with rhubarb, but I have been holding on to a jar of strawberry-rhubarb jam that my friend Rachel gave me. And what better time to break it out than right now, to generously dollop on freshly baked crusty popovers!

Popovers are muffin/pastry-type things with a large crusty exterior and a hollow eggy interior. They are delicious right out of the oven, smeared with butter, jam, Nutella or even eaten with a slice of cheese. At our house, I was always asked to make them for breakfast, but they are also a wonderful accompaniment to a nice pot roast or roast beef dinner.

It’s an easy recipe and the secret is using a proper popover pan. NordicWare has a great non-stick pan and Chicago Metallic has a less expensive pan that is equally as good. If you use the proper pan, your popovers should pop every single time.

If you don’t have a popover pan and still want to try this recipe, please do! You can use a muffin tin and spray the cups with a cooking spray before adding the batter. You can also butter or spray some custard dishes rather than using a muffin tin. After they have finished baking, just run a table knife around the edges of the pan or custard dishes before removing the popovers.

Whisk the eggs with milk and salt

Add the flour all at once, mixing until incorporated and smooth. Then mix in the melted butter all at once.

Preheat the oven to 450° F/230° C.  While the oven is pre-heating, fill each of the cups in the popover pan about two-thirds full.

Place pan into heated oven

Set the timer for 20 minutes after which, without opening the oven door, turn the heat down to 350°F/175°C and set the timer for another 10 minutes. If you like a crustier, more well done popover, then let it go for another 5-10 minutes after that for a total of 35-40 minutes.

This is what they should look like right out of the oven

If you are going to eat them right away, just tip them right out of the pan. If you are going to wait to eat them, pierce each one with a sharp knife to let some of the steam out.

Then smear it with the good stuff.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have received this delicious jam from YOUR fabulous jelly maker friend Rachel, you’ll have to come up with something else with which to pair your popovers…

Alice? Where are these crusty delights sending your imagination?

Popovers
(After trying many, many different recipes, I’ve decided that the King Arthur Flour recipe is consistently the best)

4 large eggs, room temperature or warmed in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes before cracking
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons of melted butter

Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.

Use a wire whisk to beat together the eggs, milk and salt. Whisk till the egg and milk are well combined. Add the flour all at once and beat with a wire whisk till frothy and smooth.

Add the melted butter, combining quickly.

Pour the batter into the popover pan cups, filling them about 2/3 full.

When oven is up to temperature, place pan into the middle rack of the oven.

Bake the popovers for 20 minutes without opening the oven door. Reduce the heat to 350°F/175°C (again without opening the door) and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until they’re a deep, golden brown.

Serve immediately.

Mascarpone Semifreddo with Roasted Rhubarb

How perfect did Brenda’s Brazilian version of crème caramel look?

One of our readers asked for ice cream recipes PLUS I am looking after a house with very healthy rhubarb plants PLUS I discovered Spanish Moscato, a rich raisiny fortified sherry. That is how this dish came together.

The thing with making ice cream, is having a good enough churn. But a semifreddo is unchurned, and in fact, this one is uncooked also. It is in the peasy realm of easy.

This is simply some rhubarb roasted in the oven, alongside a semifreddo, made with whipped cream and Mascarpone cheese, flavoured with some of the sherry. In fact, you could try other liqueurs if the Moscato sherry isn’t sitting on your bench. Semifreddo has a slightly firmer texture to ice cream.

I was experimenting with the recipe as I went, so I haven’t taken ‘how to’ photos this time. It is such a simple recipe, you’ll be fine!
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Moscato Mascarpone Semifreddo
serves 6
ingredients

300ml (1/2 pint) cream suitable for whipping (thickened cream in Australia)
135g (4.5oz) icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
250g (a small tub) Mascarpone cheese
2 1/2 tbs Moscato sherry (You could experiment with other sweet syrupy liqueurs)

Whip the cream with the icing sugar until soft peaks form, then fold through the Mascarpone and sherry.

Line a tray, that will fit in your freezer, with baking paper (I used a slice baking tray). Spread the cream mixture in to an even layer on the paper. Cover with cling film and leave to freeze, overnight if possible, but 6 hours would be fine if it is thin like mine.

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Roasted Rhubarb

ingredients

500g (1 pound) rhubarb, leaves discarded.
80g (a bit under 3oz) caster sugar (superfine)
2 tbs water

Preheat the oven to 180/350.

Rinse the rhubarb, and cut in to identical length pieces. Place the rhubarb in to a baking tray, and sprinkle with the sugar and toss around a little to coat. Drizzle the water over and cover with foil.

Bake for 15 minutes, and then pull out of the oven and remove the foil. Carefully turn the pieces of rhubarb in the pan, so as not to break them. Spoon over the sugar and water which will have now started to dissolve. Put back in to the oven for another five minutes uncovered. It will be ready when it is tender to the prod of a knife, yet is still maintaining its shape.

Allow to cool a little before serving.

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To assemble

Toast up some almond slivers in a dry pan over medium heat, being careful to move them around as they cook so they don’t burn. The time will depend on your pan and how hot it gets, but around five minutes. Take them off the heat when they are lightly golden.

Place the rhubarb on the plates, with a little of the syrupy juice. Cut the semifreddo in to triangular pieces with a hot chef’s knife, and place on the plate beside the rhubarb. Heat the knife by dunking it in a jug of hot water, and then quickly drying it with a tea towel.

Garnish with some of the freshly toasted almond slivers, and maybe a tiny sprig of mint.

There you go Kandis, an ‘ice cream’ recipe for you.

Over to you B… Don’t suppose it is rhubarb season in Minnesota?!