Popover Pans: Are They Necessary for Perfect Popovers?

If you find yourself craving popovers with some regularity, as we do, investing in a real popover pan eventually starts to feel quite justifiable. These tins are really only useful for making popovers, but oh, what beautiful popovers they make!

Popover pans are distinguished from regular muffin tins by their deep, steep-sided wells. This forces the batter upwards and results in a popover with a puffy dome and crispy sides.

Many popover pans have the cups welded to a wire rack. While this looks odd, it promotes even circulation of air and heat around the tins. Most are also made from heavy steel or cast aluminum coated with a nonstick surface. We hear that seasoned cast iron makes the very best popovers, but these pans can only to be found by eagle-eyed shoppers at thrift stores and garage sales these days.

If you’re in the market, take a look at these pans:

• Nordicware Popover Pan from Sur la Table ($34 for regular-sized or mini)
• Nonstick Popover Pan from Williams-Sonoma ($19.95)

More on popovers:

• Easy Ethereal Popovers
• Giant Cheese Popovers
• Popover Report: Why Can’t You Open the Oven Door?
•

Honey Butter: Perfect with Popovers (And A Lot More!)

David Lebovitz Turns Popovers Into Sugary Puffs

Do you own a popover tin? Do you think one is necessary?

Related: Good Question: Replace Metal Pans with Silicone?

(Image: Sur La Table)