PORCINI POPOVERS (twelve)

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

6 eggs

2-1/2 cups whole milk

½ stick unsalted butter (2 tablespoons melted and 2 tablespoons cold) plus additional for popover cups

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1.    Grind porcini to a powder in an electric coffee / spice grinder or a blender (you’ll have about ¼ cup).  Whisk together porcini powder, flour, salt, eggs, milk and melted butter until smooth, then let rest, chilled, 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 400* with rack in the middle.  Butter popover cups.  Cut remaining 2 tablespoons butter into 12 pieces.

2.    Heat popover pans in oven 2 minutes.  Remove from oven and add a piece of butter to each cup.  Return to oven and heat until butter is bubbling, about 1 minute.  Divide batter among cups (a scant ½ cup each) and bake until puffed and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. 

3.    Pierce top of each popover with a sharp knife to release steam, then continue to bake until deep golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more.  Serve immediately.

NOTE:   Popovers can be baked 4 hours ahead.  Remove from pans and reheat on a baking sheet in a 350* oven until hot and crisp.

from Lillian Chou, Bon Appetite Magazine, December 13, 2018