Yorkshire puddings are not at all puddings, in my mind, but they are as Yorkshire as flat caps and high fells. Everyone’s mum makes the best ones (or if you are a mum, you obviously make the best ones), and everyone has their own trusted (and often secret) recipe that they swear is the only decent way to make them.
As a Kiwi, I’m nervous about even offering a recipe, but will say in my defence that both the SO and the friend who originally taught me how to make them are Yorkshire, so … please don’t kick me out?
Traditionally eaten as part of a Sunday roast, swimming in gravy, Yorkshire puddings have lovely little wells in the centre that can be filled with anything you might fancy, such as sliced roast beef and a dollop of horseradish cream, or (in my case) sauteed mushrooms and spinach. They make for both lovely and impressive party nibbles when served this way, but fill them at the last minute and don’t use anything too wet. Probably serve with extra napkins, too.
- 140 g / a little less than 1 cup flour
- 4 eggs
- 200 mL / 1 cup less 1 tbsp milk
- oil
Whisk the flour, eggs and milk in a measuring jug until well-combined and no lumps remain, then let it rest. You can do this in the morning and ignore it until you’re ready to cook.
When you’re ready, pop the oven to 230˚C / just under 450˚F. Pour enough oil into the bottoms of two 12-muffin pans to cover them generously. Pop the trays in the oven and let them heat.
When the oil is completely up to heat, carefully remove one tray from the oven. Really carefully. I cannot stress this enough. Immediately pour a small amount of batter into each muffin well – the batter plus oil shouldn’t come more than a quarter of the way up the pan.
Carefully return the tray to the oven and repeat with the second tray – you’ll get around twenty from this mix. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the puddings are well-browned and beautifully puffed.
Remove from oven and immediately roll the puddings upside down, so any oil inside drains away and they’re not sitting in the wells of the tray anymore. Eat immediately, or set aside and reheat just long enough to crisp up again when needed. They also freeze very well.
A Toot Hansell Christmas Cracker recipe collection:
- Rose’s Rom Truffles
- Christmas Pudding Cupcakes
- Homity Pies
- Amaretti Espresso Biscuits
- Christmas Breakfast Muffins
- Welsh Rarebit
- Cranberry, Wensleydale & Walnut No-Knead Bread
- Mulled Apple Juice
- Dragon-Friendly Mincemeat
- Mincemeat Sticky Buns
- Almond, Orange, & Cranberry Cake