Popover Pancake

I have the fondest childhood memories of my mama making this beautiful Popover Pancake on occasion. To this day when I smell it cooking in the oven I can close my eyes and remember as clear as if it were yesterday.  I would sit and watch it grow, bigger and bigger in the oven and my anticipation would build and build with it.  So now as a mama myself, it was fun for me to pass on this tradition and it's memories to my own children.

I make this almost every Sunday morning.  The tradition in our household is an expected Popover Pancake on Sunday mornings for breakfast.  We make it festive on holidays with different toppings too.  Like on the Fourth of July I use raspberries, powdered sugar, and blueberries for a red, white and blue theme.  However, I never make it on any other day than a Sunday so it remains a special treat.

My youngest daughter Emma asks every night at bedtime what we are doing the next day.  On Saturday nights though, she tells ME!  She says, "Tomorrow is Sunday?  So we have Popover Pancakes and then Church!", as she grins from ear to ear.

I start with my 10" cast iron skillet and a tablespoon of coconut oil.  Place it in the oven while your preheating the oven to 400 degrees.  My secret ingredient goes in at this point, sea salt!  Yep, seriously.  I sprinkle sea salt evenly in the melted coconut oil BEFORE I put in the batter.  This gives it a slightly salty crust that tastes amazing when you dress your pancake with maple syrup. Nom Nom!

This is the easiest recipe ever which makes it all the better.  I think this is the only recipe that I truly know by heart. There isn't any special order to add the ingredients, or any need to use liquids in one bowl and dry ingredients in another.  Everything goes in at once into one bowl. Just mix until smooth.

I love to find old farmhouse things for my home, and my kitchen is one of the main areas for those.  I found these beaters at an antique shop and had to have them.  I really love to have a use for everything if I can, as opposed to only putting things out for decoration or props.  So i use mine!

Here is the beautiful pie after coming out of the oven 26 minutes later.

On a typical day we dress it up with a little pure maple syrup and powdered sugar.  I use my handsifter to make it look pretty.

I know my family enjoys this little tradition as much as I did as a child.  Do you have any recipes in your family you carry on?

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup of whole milk

4 large eggs (if they are smaller eggs I throw in an extra egg)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon coconut oil (for the pan)

sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Put your coconut oil into your 10" cast iron skillet.  You can use any pan that can go in the oven if you don't have cast iron.

2.  Put your pan in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. 

3.  Add all remaining ingredients into a bowl and mix until smooth.

4.  Once the oven is preheated and the oil is melted, you can add your sea salt.  Sprinkle evenly throughout the bottom of the pan.  (Use an amount as if you were seasoning your own meal.)

5.  Add batter all at once to hot pan.  

6.  Bake at 400 degrees for 26 minutes or lightly golden brown.

Let me know if you try out the recipe and what your little ones say when they see it 'Pop'over!