batter is carefully mixed to minimize gluten
formation, allowed to stand for an hour or
more to allow the proteins and damaged
starch to absorb water and air bubbles to rise
and escape, and then cooked for just a couple
of minutes per side. In France, the milk in
crêpe batter is sometimes partly replaced with
beer, and wheat flour with buckwheat,
especially in Brittany.
Popovers
Popovers are an American version of English
Yorkshire pudding, which is cooked in the fat
rendered from a beef roast. The batter is
almost identical to crêpe batter, but a different
cooking method transforms it into a large air
pocket surrounded by a thin layer of pastry.
Popover batter is vigorously beaten to
incorporate air and cooked immediately,
before the air bubbles have a chance to
escape. The batter is poured into a preheated,