Queso de Hoja and Guava Popovers

10/19/2004

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

6 ounces grated Questo de Hoja (Queso del Pais or Mexican Queso Fresco)

6 ounces small diced guava paste

Cook's note: The mixture will be very thin and may look like it will bubble over when baking the popovers; however, in a few minutes the popover takes shape and lifts out of each muffin mold. You may want to put a baking sheet under the muffin pan, but there should be no problem with any drips in the oven.

Whip the eggs with salt and mix together with heavy cream and milk using a whisk. Then mix the flour slowly into the batter. Spray muffin pans with vegetable spray and fill each muffin mold with the mix just short of 1/4-inch of filling. Top each mold with 1 tablespoon grated cheese and several pieces of the diced guava paste, allowing those to stay on top of the mixture as much as possible.

Bake in 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. Serve immediately while hot.

Yield: 12 servings

Source: Ritz-Carlton San Juan