The amount of liquid used in popovers is large, and thus the hydration
of the gluten particles is too great for them to adhere tenaciously to each
other. Therefore, the popover batter may be beaten without increasing the
compactness and without toughening the baked popovers to any appreciable
extent. Egg is added to popovers. It is necessary to furnish additional, ex-
tensible protein to hold the steam formed from the liquid and to coagulate
CREAM PUFFS 461
during baking to form the popover walls. If baked with no added egg,
popovers do not increase in volume during baking and the texture is very
soggy and compact. Except during the period of the year when the baking
quality of the eggs is greatest, better popovers are often produced if the
number of eggs in the recipe is increased to 3. If the eggs are not weighed
and are small in size, better volume is always obtained by using 3 eggs.
The popover batter may be put into hot or cold containers for baking.
There seems to be little difference in the finished popovers, whichever way
started.
Popovers are probably best baked at rather high temperatures, 220° to
240°C., to form steam rapidly. They need to be baked until they feel
firm while still in the oven, for they soften after being taken from the
oven, and unless they are quite firm will collapse. The heat may be turned
off towards the last of the baking period to prevent excessive browning
and the popovers left in the oven to become crisp, for the inside of the
popover is hollow and because of the thin batter rather moist.
Timbales and Cover Batters
Timbales and rosettes should be crisp, and the timbale shell should be
thick enough to hold the material that is to be served in it. Usually a cup
of flour to a cup of liquid produces a good texture, but a slightly larger
or smaller proportion of flour to the liquid also makes a good timbale. The
batter should be mixed until free from lumps to avoid thickened places
in the finished timbale. If bubbles are formed during mixing or beating of
the batter they interfere with the smoothness of the finished timbale and
it is therefore better to let the batter stand until these bubbles disappear.
The timbale iron should be heated while the fat is heated in the deep
fat kettle so that it will be the same temperature as the fat. If the timbale
iron is too cold when it is dipped into the batter, the batter will not cling
to it. The fat should be drained from the iron or the surplus wiped off with
a paper towel before putting the iron in the batter. Otherwise the batter
will not cling to the iron or large holes may be formed in the bottom of the
timbale case from the surplus fat.
Cream Puffs
Cream puffs contain a higher percentage of fat and eggs than popovers,
but the proportion of liquid to flour is the same in each. The fat, flour,
and liquid are first cooked together until a stiff ball of dough is formed.
They are sufficiently cooked when a metal spoon pressed down on the stiff
mass leaves a sharp, clear, smooth imprint. Next the eggs are beaten into
the batter.
In the stiff batter produced by cooking the fat, flour, and water only a
partial oil-in-water emulsion is formed. By staining the fat with Scarlet R
462 BATTERS AND DOUGHS
Page 377
Presented as published in 1932. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
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The amount of liquid used in popovers is large, and thus the hydration
of the gluten particles is too great for them to adhere tenaciously to each
other. Therefore, the popover batter may be beaten without increasing the
compactness and without toughening the baked popovers to any appreciable
extent. Egg is added to popovers. It is necessary to furnish additional, ex-
tensible protein to hold the steam formed from the liquid and to coagulate
CREAM PUFFS 461
during baking to form the popover walls. If baked with no added egg,
popovers do not increase in volume during baking and the texture is very
soggy and compact. Except during the period of the year when the baking
quality of the eggs is greatest, better popovers are often produced if the
number of eggs in the recipe is increased to 3. If the eggs are not weighed
and are small in size, better volume is always obtained by using 3 eggs.
The popover batter may be put into hot or cold containers for baking.
There seems to be little difference in the finished popovers, whichever way
started.
Popovers are probably best baked at rather high temperatures, 220° to
240°C., to form steam rapidly. They need to be baked until they feel
firm while still in the oven, for they soften after being taken from the
oven, and unless they are quite firm will collapse. The heat may be turned
off towards the last of the baking period to prevent excessive browning
and the popovers left in the oven to become crisp, for the inside of the
popover is hollow and because of the thin batter rather moist.
Timbales and Cover Batters
Timbales and rosettes should be crisp, and the timbale shell should be
thick enough to hold the material that is to be served in it. Usually a cup
of flour to a cup of liquid produces a good texture, but a slightly larger
or smaller proportion of flour to the liquid also makes a good timbale. The
batter should be mixed until free from lumps to avoid thickened places
in the finished timbale. If bubbles are formed during mixing or beating of
the batter they interfere with the smoothness of the finished timbale and
it is therefore better to let the batter stand until these bubbles disappear.
The timbale iron should be heated while the fat is heated in the deep
fat kettle so that it will be the same temperature as the fat. If the timbale
iron is too cold when it is dipped into the batter, the batter will not cling
to it. The fat should be drained from the iron or the surplus wiped off with
a paper towel before putting the iron in the batter. Otherwise the batter
will not cling to the iron or large holes may be formed in the bottom of the
timbale case from the surplus fat.
Cream Puffs
Cream puffs contain a higher percentage of fat and eggs than popovers,
but the proportion of liquid to flour is the same in each. The fat, flour,
and liquid are first cooked together until a stiff ball of dough is formed.
They are sufficiently cooked when a metal spoon pressed down on the stiff
mass leaves a sharp, clear, smooth imprint. Next the eggs are beaten into
the batter.
In the stiff batter produced by cooking the fat, flour, and water only a
partial oil-in-water emulsion is formed. By staining the fat with Scarlet R
462 BATTERS AND DOUGHS