Cravings: Chocolate Popovers

Maybe it's just the season. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, maybe it's the close proximity to all those childhood favorites. We indulge ourselves once in a year in orgies of turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, and green been casserole and, mmmm, does it taste good! So, it should be no surprise when periodically, our bodies crave something -- chocolate, French fries, cheese grits (OK, that last one is just me.)

Yesterday, I had an inexplicable craving for chocolate -- and not just any chocolate but pain au chocolate, that is, chocolate and bread. With no time to make flaky pastry crust and still armed with a useful popover recipe, I did what anyone with a craving does. I improvised. Chocolate popovers anyone?

2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp butter, melted

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Grease a muffin pan or popover pans. Whisk eggs and salt together, add milk, then melted butter. Add the flour. Whisk until blended. (Don't overbeat, they'll get tough.) Pour batter into muffin cups -- about half full. Put in cold oven, turn heat to 425, bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for 10-15 minutes. Pierce tops to release steam making a 1/2 inch slit. Spoon chopped chocolate on top of each slit. (Some will go in and some will melt on top.)

Bake for another 2 minutes more.

Eat. Unbutton top button on pants. (Easy to refrigerate or freeze, then microwave to heat.)