Wide Open Table is a bi-monthly Montana Free Press column on all things food and cooking. Sign up for this newsletter here. Sign up Americans and Brits will have very dif ferent understandings of the term “pudding” on a menu. I’d wager that most U.S. diners will think of a chocolate version available in Snack Packs. In England, pudding is a much broader culinary category that can cover dishes both savory and sweet.  Yorkshire puddings, for instance, are the beloved British cousin of the American popover. These simple batter-based quick breads, made from eggs, milk, flour and meat “drippings,” partner nicely with whatever sort of roast produces the drippings.  But while you’re much more likely to see such puddings paired with savory items on a dinner plate, I also love to make them in the mornings as an easier alternative to pancakes or French toast. They taste great with maple or huckleberry syrup and can save you the hassle of cooking individual portions.  While six-cup popover pans that accommodate a scaled-up version of this recipe exist, most home kitchens won’t have them, and they aren’t necessary. A standard 12-cup nonstick muffin pan will work just fine, and this recipe’s proportions are calculated for exactly that kind of pan.  I’ve tested lots of variations and ingredient combinations, started with room-temperature and cold batter, baked at different temperatures, rested the dough or not, and employed a range of cook times, and the most important thing to know about popovers and puddings is that while you have to wait patiently as they cook, you should eat them just as soon as they come out of the oven. These pastries are at their peak texture and size when they’re piping hot, right at the end of their bake time. So as the timer nears its final minute, make sure your guests are already at the table and dishing up the rest of the menu.  For special-occasion dinner versions, I simply add fresh herbs like rosemary and/or thyme to this recipe, enhancing these super-easy popovers with subtle complexity.   Popover Recipe4 large eggs1 1/2  cups bread flour2 cups 2% milk1/2 tsp kosher saltcooking spray The batter works better when you blend the ingredients about two hours before baking. This allows the batter to rest and come to room temperature. Measure your 1.5 cups of flour, 2 cups of milk, 4 large eggs and 1/2 tsp of kosher salt, combine in a blender, or whisk by hand until well incorporated. It’s easiest if the batter is in a mixing bowl with a built-in spout for easy pouring.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Make sure the oven rack is in the bottom third of the oven. Once the oven is fully preheated, place the empty muffin pan in the oven to heat up for about 15 minutes before you pour the batter into the muffin cups. This is key. You need a piping-hot pan so the batter starts cooking immediately.   Now remove the pre-heated muffin pan from the oven and spray some neutral cooking oil into the muffin cups. Carefully fill each cup about 3/4 full of batter. Carefully return the pan to the oven and bake for 35 minutes without interruption.  Popovers will deflate a bit just after they come out of the oven. And that’s not the only reason to eat them fast.  The post Making a better batter bread appeared first on Montana Free Press. ...read more read less