Lemon Vanilla Bean Popovers! This sweet version of a British classic {Yorkshire Pudding} is perfect for serving up at brunches and parties. The batter comes together quickly in the blender, then poured into a standard muffin tin where they bake up into light, hollow nibbles!
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While thousands of people around the world await this weekend's royal wedding with bated breath, I'm over here living my very own fairy tale: I received a Vitamix E310 Explorian Series Blender. I mean, if that's not proof that dreams come true, I don't know what is.
I know it may not seem like a big deal to some {it's a blender for heaven's sake}, but high quality appliances make a huge difference in how well I'm able to do my job, so the opportunity to get my hands on a Vitamix has been one I've been hoping for for quite some time. The excitement was palpable when the box arrived on my doorstep last week and I feasted my eyes on the beauty in the box.
I was pleased to discover that this little powerhouse was fairly compact for a high speed blender. As a person who has never had extensive "counter top real estate", I'm always on the lookout for kitchen appliances that pack a lot of punch without taking up a ton of space. This particular model is perfect for our small family with its 48 ounce container since I'm typically not making food for an army. Other pros include:
- You can use it to make not only smoothies, juices and nut milks, but also flours, nut butters, batters and doughs among oodles of other spreads, sauces and dressings. It also heats your soup while you blend it!
- The ease with which it can tackle even hard-to-blend ingredients {I'm looking at you frozen strawberries} with its 2 HP motor.
- Its 10-speed dial that lets you gradually increase the intensity as you blend -- less splatters and messes, which is a blessing. Take it from a girl who has been showered from head to toe with pesto and soup.
- The pulse feature that allows you to rough chop for things like chunky salsa and heartier soups
- The fact that it CLEANS ITSELF {just add warm water and few drops of dish soap & blend for up to a minute}, keeping fingers safe from sharp blades!
Another perk? Vitamix offers a five-year warranty on their machines (parts, performance, labor & free two-way shipping!}, so if anything should go awry, you're covered for a good, long while.
There were are a few downsides to this model that I noticed after some experimenting, like the fact that the lid doesn't have any "locks" aside from some flexible flaps that secure it in place. This means that you have to pay close attention and make sure it's properly situated and sealed all the way around to avoid any leaks. I also felt like the container should have some sort of mechanism where it "clicks" into the base as I wasn't sure that it was properly aligned the first few times I put it in place. These are some minor things I'm adjusting to as I get to know my Vitamix, and I'm sure it'll become second nature over time.
So, I know you're probably dying to know what I made for my Vitamix's maiden voyage, and I won't keep you in suspense any longer: Lemon Vanilla Bean Popovers!
Inspired by the Royal Wedding, I decided to take a page from British bakes and try my hand at these curious little bites. If you've never had a popover before, it's basically just an eggy bread made from a simple batter {one you can whip up in seconds in a Vitamix!} that is baked in a preheated vessel like a muffin tin or popover pan. As it bakes, it puffs up and over the edges of the tin and develops a crunchy crust on the outside and an airy, hollow middle.
The savory British version, Yorkshire Pudding, is traditionally served alongside a roast as you would a dinner roll or a biscuit, and often contains some of the pan drippings from the cooked meat in the batter.
Since the royals are celebrating a sweet occasion, I opted to make a version that can be served at breakfast or brunch instead -- especially because media coverage in the U.S. will begin airing at 5a.m., and I doubt most people will be starting the day with a roast. I flavored the batter with aromatic lemon zest {which, clearly, is my go-to flavor for royal nuptials} and vanilla bean paste, and added a few tablespoons of sugar to the mix to give them a pleasant sweetness that isn't overwhelming at all, but that pairs marvelously with a compound butter {like this one} or marmalade.
These popovers are something fun and different to try when you need a sweet little treat or something to serve up for a dainty brunch gathering, and I think you'll love how easy they are to make.
Even though Meghan & Harry will be the ones saying the "I dos" this weekend, I've got a special gift for YOU -- If you're looking to add a Vitamix to your kitchen, they're offering up to $100 OFF ALL NEW MACHINES now to May 20, plus free standard shipping!!! {U.S. only.} Don't miss out on this great sale -- make sure to head over here and check it out!
Now... I wonder if the royal couple registered for a blender? 😉
Lemon Vanilla Bean Popovers
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons melted butter divided
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk of your choice warmed slightly
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste {or 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract}
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the oven rack to the lower ⅓ level in the oven. Brush 8 wells of a standard muffin tin with 1 tablespoon butter {including the top part of the muffin tin since they'll puff up and extend over the edges}. Place the muffin tin in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the batter: Crack eggs into blender and blend at medium speed, about 1 minute. Slowly pour the warmed milk into the mixture as it blends until fully combined. Add vanilla bean paste, lemon zest and remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter; blend for about 10 seconds more, then stop blender.
- Add flour, salt and sugar to the mixture and slowly increase the blender speed until the batter is fully combined and smooth, about 15-20 seconds. {No need to overprocess.}
- Open the oven door and carefully slide out the rack using an oven mitt. Pour the batter into each of the buttered muffin tin wells, filling about ¾ of the way full.
- Carefully slide the oven rack back into position and bake the popovers for about 33-35 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. {Try not to open the oven door as to keep the heat inside the oven steady as they bake.} If the popovers look like they're getting too dark too early, lightly tent them with a piece of foil.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing -- they should come out pretty easily with a little twist. Serve immediately with butter or jam.
