Both my wife and I are lactose intolerant and for the past 5 years we've been using whole grain flour products and buying breads only made with whole grain flours. My wife has always thought of popoevers as a comfort food. I've been trying to make a popover that is whole wheat and lactose free. I've used a variety of flours including ww pastry flour and lately KA white ww flour. I've been trying to use soy milk instead of milk and either canola oil or olive oil instead of butter. My proportions are 1 1/2 cups of both milk and flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp oil, and 3 eggs. I've been mixing them with an electric hand mixer. Following instructions that I've read in various online sources and make them with and w/o baking powder on the theory that they need extra leavening because of the ww flour. I've sifted the flour into the mixing bowl to make it fluffier. I've preheated the oiled pans to 425 degrees, filled them and raise the oven temp to 450 after I've put the batter in the pans. I baken them for 40 minutes, 20 at the higher temp and then 20 at 350 degrees. I never open the oven but watch the rising through a glass oven door. I have an electronically controlled gas oven. I have both cast iron and the new cone shaped popover pans. But no matter what I do, I can get them to rise but not to pop. There are lots of small air holes inside a very bready role, but no crispy outer shell and no big airy holes inside. My questions have to do with the roles of milk and all purpose flour in the popovers. Can one make popovers using soy milk instead of regular milk and still get them to pop. Does the ww flour keep them from popping? Any suggestions? Yes, Mike, the whole wheat flour keeps them from popping. I think the soy milk would be fine, though not sure about the exact composition of soy re: protein, and the structure it lends to things, as regular milk does. WW flour is full of sharp-edged little flecks of bran; these bran flecks cut the gluten as it forms. Gluten is a key part of the elastic web of starch/gluten/water that makes breads (including popovers) rise like a balloon. The balloon is constantly deflated by the bran. So it can rise somewhat (the little holes, the small rise in your popovers); but it won't be able to really puff up, as it can without the presence of bran. Does anyone out there have any advice for Mike in his quest for a 100% whole-grain, dairy-free popover that really POPS? PJH

• Reply