Mini Bacon Cheddar Popovers

While I was waiting for my sourdough bread to rise, I decided to make some snacks for social hour. After some cross-recipe interpretation, I came up with a Mini Bacon Cheese Popover.

 
 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
  (or 1 cup water and 1/3 cup powdered milk)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (4.25 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup finely grated Cheddar (2 ounces)
• 1 tablespoons minced chives
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  (or just diced up precooked bacon)

Instructions:

1. Adjust racks so the one you will bake on is in the lower third of the oven.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°F -- before you start anything else!
3. Use a mini muffin tin, grease the pan thoroughly, covering the area between the cups as well as the cups themselves.
4. Make sure the oven is up to temperature.
5. In a food processor or blender, whirr the eggs, milk (or water), and spices till the egg and milk are well mixed.
6. Add the flour (and powdered milk if using), and whirr together until mixed in.
7. Whirr in the melted butter.
8. Pulse in the cheese, chives, bacon, and melted butter.
9. Transfer mix to a 4 cup measuring cup with pouring lip or bowl.
10. Fill the mini muffin cups about almost full.
    (I found using a large cookie scoop filled them almost to the brim.)
11. Verify oven is preheated to 450°F.
12. Place the muffin pan on a lower shelf of the oven.
    (I placed my mini muffon pan on a heavy cookie pan before placing in the oven in case of drips. There were no drips, but the pan may help even the heating. I used the next-to-bottom rack.)
13. Bake the popovers for 12 minutes without opening the oven door.
14. Reduce the heat to 350°F (again without opening the door!), and bake for an additional 10 minutes. 
15. Pop out of the pans and allow to cool briefly to serve warm, or allow to cool on a wire rack.

Carole's Notes:

These were great - light and cheesy and bacony!

With the added cheese and bacon, these may not pop up much at all.




I think they are delightful with little bits of cheese and bacon.

 
The recipe is my mash-up of several ideas:
http://www.zestuous.com/2013/09/cheesy-bacon-popovers/
and
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/popovers-recipe
and
http://www.marthastewart.com/315557/giant-cheese-popovers