Popover Pan belongs to the bakeware family which enables you to create perfect popover and other bakery recipes. The dish called popover is a small roll made of a combination of eggs, milk and flour just like the pudding ingredients. Also, it is slightly oily and crispy on the outside and light and airy on the inside. Dedicated popover bakeware or pan keeps the stem of the pastry thin, allowing the top to fluff up even more.
Unlike muffin pan or cupcakes pan, popover pans are often deep, have vertical walls, and are exactly balanced for popovers. They call for proper airflow to puff them up just enough. There are also different versions of a popover pan, such as a connected popover pan with a detachable well. It’s even easier to clean up and popovers baked from every corner. Nowadays, the market is full of popover pans, making it very difficult to distinguish the good from the bad.
However, depending on the size that will fit snugly in your oven, or how much you want to serve at once, the size and number of popover spaces may vary. To help you choose from ample, we have tested and shortlisted some that are the best in terms of durability, oven-safe and quality.
Best Popover Pans For The Money
1. Bellemain 6 Cup Nonstock Popover Pan
A popover pan which stand out among all the given options and offer a unique design is Bellemain 6 Cup Nonstick Popover Pan. This pan has a well-made design to easy to remove your popover and bake them easily. From making a recipe at home to using it for a bakery purpose, you can trust this product in various manners. Check in below image the result of using this popover pan.
The build quality is sturdy, and the crate is welded to ensure that you have an excellent use. The dimension as well as the capacity of popover pan allow to bake in large quantity. It is a sturdy option, and you can buy it for such an affordable price point which makes it one of the excellent options as compared to others.
The best thing about this pan is dish wash safe material so it become easier to clean, wash and reuse the pan as long as you want. Most reviews by other customers regarding this product are positive, making it one of the reliable options.
Pros –
- Build quality is sturdy and it ensure a great durability.
- Removing popovers from the pan is easy due to its nonstick property.
- The pan is welded to create a large unit for easier use every single time.
Cons –
- No cons yet!
2. CHEFMADE Popover Cake Pan
In case you are looking for an appealing design with a beautiful color scheme, then CHEFMADE Popover Cake Pan is the right choice for you. This pan is made of carbon steel to ensure a better build quality and a lightweight design. Using this pan is easier for a wide range of baking purposes. Check the look of popover after baking in chefmade pan
The manufacturer is using silicone to add non-stick property instead of Teflon due to the food safety reasons. Considering this specific factor, you can say that it is one of the best in term of safety purposes. Using this pan for popover is an easy choice and you can buy in bulk quantity as well.
The easy-to-use property with plenty of color options can please you to buy this pan. There are four amazing color options that can help get the desired product and create a unique theme in kitchen.
Pros –
- Uses silicone coating instead of Teflon for food safety reasons.
- Build quality is top-notch as it is made of carbon steel.
- It is lightweight and easy to use with a huge variety of colors.
Cons –
- The only issue is with color coating as it will fade after continuous use.
3. Nordic Ware Grand Popover Pan
As everyone knows that aluminum is a lightweight material, and it is an excellent choice for a wide range of cookware manufacturing. Thus, our next product in this list is Nordic Ware Grand Popover Pan. It is a well-designed popover pan in single unique crafted from single sheet of aluminum. This pan is easy to use, offers faster cooking and it is non-stick as well. While using this pan, you have to spray a non-stick coating and you are good to go. Check the result in below image after using nordic ware pan for popover baking.
The heavy cast aluminum is sturdy and ensure a long-term durability with its amazing design. As compared to other products, it might seem slightly expensive, but it offers the best value so far. You can consider this option as if you want to make bakery style popover pan and get the best value for sure.
Pros –
- Aluminum is perfect choice for baking popover.
- This pan is sturdy and made of heavy-duty aluminum sheet.
- You can bake oversized muffins in this pan also.
Cons –
- This pan is not dishwash safe, so you have to wash it with hands.
How To Choose The Best Popover Pan?
Popover pans with non-stick properties enable popovers to be baked without any hassle. However, not all pan materials may be suitable for baking. Some may have a deeply sticky base, which will result in harder popping. In addition to being sure of the material used to design the pan, the number of cups can also make a huge difference in your quantity.
However, this is still not enough information to choose the best one for you. Before you dig into a specific purchase, there are several aspects you need to consider. These aspects will prevent you from investing in inappropriate popover panes.
1. Material
The general rule is that the better the material used is in the popover pan, the higher the efficiency. Also, this will determine how long-lasting the product is. The material will determine you the quality of bakery items as well as the baking speed. Generally, a popover pan can be made of stainless steel, cast iron or aluminum.
- Steel
A pan made of stainless steel, carbon steel, or steel is very easy to clean, and it doesn’t crack or chip at all. They are also good at distributing heat evenly and are also free from rust and corrosion. One of the biggest drawbacks is that the physical conduction conducts heat more slowly than others, resulting in longer cooking times for popovers and affecting popover consistency.
- Cast Iron
Cast iron is one of the good sources of conduction heat, plus it can hold the heat for a long time. In addition, cast iron-based popover pans are resistant to high temperatures, reliable, durable, and sturdy as well. But, it is hard to bake with cast iron due to its heavyweight.
- Aluminum
Unlike stainless steel, aluminum based bakeware transfers heat well and has good heat conduction capacity. But, there is also a drawback that if you cook with aluminum on high flame, there may be chances of bending or wear. But, the upgraded or modernized version of aluminum, widely known as hard-anodized aluminum, is stronger and more durable than regular aluminum.
However, depending on your baking style, or your preference, you can either choose cast iron, aluminum or steel. Don’t forget to check the ready-to-make instruction of the product as the material can affect the baking results and pan’s performance.
2. Design
Unlike the regular bakeries used to bake cakes or cookies, popover pans are completely different. This is why the design of the pan is an important aspect when choosing a popover pan for a repetitive baking task. The most common design you’ll see is the cups joined together by a wire rack with little space between them. Some models have the same type of cups but they latch on at the same effort instead of aligning together.
whereas the space between the cups helps the air to circulate the pan, and as a result, you can get high airiness and bloated popovers. When baking with spacing pans, there is also the possibility of debris from the pan or dough falling into the oven during baking.
The tray as a lifesaver will help in delivering the temperature evenly and steadily to the cups in such a case, assuring no mess inside or outside the oven. Due to the high demand for popover pans, manufacturers upgrade their models by introducing safety handles. These handles help transfer the popover and move the pan in and out of the oven safely.
3. Size
The pan size depends on the pan’s capacity only in case of a popover pan. The more the number of cups, the bigger the pan is. However, depending on how often you’ll be baking or who you’ll be serving popovers with to a large crowd or small gathering, you can choose an adequate pan size.
However, the popover pan comes in a variety of cup sizes, including 6, 12 or 24. To prepare a large batch meal, you’ll need a pan with about 24 cups. This pan size is an ideal choice for large gatherings and parties. Even if the size is large enough to bake in one go, it’s completely useless if it won’t fit the size of the oven.
How To Keep Clean and Care Your Popover Pan
For effortless popover removal and cleanup, your pan should be coated on both the inside and the outside. Having a pan that can go from the stove to the dishwasher is a huge time saver.
However, even non-stick pans lose their effectiveness after repeated washings in a dishwasher. If your popover pans ever stops being “nonstick,” you may easily replace it for a low price.
Popovers with a non-stick coating may be easily taken out of the pan. This eliminates the need for adding more fat to the pan. As soon as you flip it over, the popovers will fall out. Simple cleaning is another benefit of simple food release.
Use a gentle soapy sponge to thoroughly remove the stain. Nonstick surfaces are susceptible to damage from metal utensils & abrasive cleansers. Do not use a nonstick sprayer on its nonstick coating, as this can leave a sticky film and reduce the coating’s durability.
Note
Scrubbing power that won’t harm your popover pan comes from a brush with nylon bristles. Some varieties of bristle brushes may scratch the surface of your popover pan; these should be avoided. If your muffin tin is non-stick, you should exercise extra caution when using any other kind of cleaning brush.
In addition to oil, baked-on food in your popover pan may be easily removed with a little bit of baking soda. Any pan that can go in the oven may benefit from this method
Popover Pan Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about popover pans:
1. What is the USP of a popover pan?
Using a popover pan constructed of carbon steel, which is very resistant to high heat, provides equal heat distribution, and ensures the optimum popover. Other baked goods, like custard, panna cotta, pie and muffins may all be made in the same pan.
2. What keeps your popovers from rising?
The temperature within the oven might decrease too rapidly if the oven door is left open, preventing the popovers from rising correctly. It will rise even higher if you use a stand mixer to whip the dough up just before pouring it into the pan.
3. Do I need to preheat the pan for popovers?
As soon as the cold or room-temperature batter comes into contact with heated metal, steam starts to develop. This is why one must preheat their pan for popovers.
4. What should I do to keep my popovers from sticking to the pan?
Sprinkle the popover cups with flour, sugar, or Parmesan cheese after lightly greasing them. Better results will be obtained if the batter is allowed to adhere to the sides. Using a knife, remove the popovers from the baking cups as soon as possible.
5. How can I clean my popover pan?
Use a dish sponge and warm, soapy water to thoroughly clean your muffin pan in the sink. If the filth is very persistent, a nylon-bristle brush should be used. Scrub the afflicted area with a little amount of undiluted dish soap for around five to ten minutes before rinsing it off.
6. How can I keep my popovers from deflating?
A sharp filet knife and a cooling rack are all that’s needed to keep your popovers from collapsing if you don’t have the time or patience. You don’t want them to lose their shape if you let it cool in the pan.
7. Why do my popovers fail every time?
Don’t open the lid of your popover pan again until they’ve finished baking. The temperature within the oven might decrease too rapidly if the oven door is left open, preventing the popovers from rising correctly. The cakes will rise even higher if you whip the mixture until it’s light and airy just before placing it in the pan.
8. How to make popovers with good dense?
You may change the quantities and the sort of wheat and milk, but the final results will all be very consistent. The batter will get heavier and also the popovers will not rise as high if you add extra flour. The more thick the bread fillings and the narrower the hollow core are, the lesser the rise is.
Hi, my name is Ashley Robinson. I’m a food blogger and a part time chef in Food & Drink Junction, Denver. With my blog I’m sharing information & tutorials about different kinds of cooking pans.
