Blue Cheese and Chive Popovers with Blue Cheese Butter

Why This Recipe Works

What makes popovers magical is how they “pop” when they bake. And what makes these popovers magical is how they turn out so crisp and browned on the outside, with inner walls that are lush, custardy, and oh-so-cheesy. But it's not magic that's afoot here—it's science. The heat of the oven rapidly gels the surface of the batter so that when the moisture inside turns to steam and expands, that surface stretches without bursting, leaving a growing hollow inside. Eventually the exterior dries out enough that the protein in the eggs and flour forms a shell, halting expansion. Bread flour supplies the extra gluten-forming proteins so that this batter is stretchy enough to accommodate the expanding steam better than batter made with lower-protein all-purpose flour. Though many recipes call for preheating the pan to jump-start the “pop,” it's just as effective to warm the batter with heated milk. Since there is cheese in this batter, using low-fat milk and omitting butter controls the fat content to keep the popovers crispy (save the butter for melting on top!). The steady baking temperature of 400 degrees ensures a perfect bake, so you don't have to lower the temperature after the popovers reach maximum height to prevent burning, as many recipes call for.