Back to basics on Yorkshire Puddings
When I was a kid, it was always my job to make the Yorkshire Puddings for Sunday lunch – as a family, we really liked Yorky Puds, and so we had them with any roast. Not just beef.
One of the reasons we liked them so much is that I was a wizard with the batter – I’m really not being big-headed here, I was brilliant at them. Never a failure, and over the years I got to the stage where I never even had to measure out the ingredients.
But, somewhere along the way, something went wrong.
Over recent years, my Yorkshire Puds have flopped. I just haven’t been able to deliver. I’ve tried all sorts of different ‘foolproof’ recipes, all to no avail.
Last Sunday I was determined to nail it once and for all. I went back to my old recipe:
6oz plain flour 2 large eggs (1 will do if you like a drier, crustier pudding) salt about half a pint of milk (I use semi-skimmed) to make a thinnish batter
I heated some sunflower oil for 15 minutes in a baking tin in the oven with the roast – let’s not mess about with individual puddings – whacked up the temperature to 220 degC (gas 7) when I took the meat out. I put the tin on a ring on the hob and poured in the batter quickly. It sizzled a bit, but worryingly little.
Guess what?
The pudding puffed up to perfection. Light, crunchy on the outside, and soft (not soggy) on the inside.
It was simply the best Yorkshire I’ve cooked in years.
What made the difference?
My theory is I let the batter sit in the fridge for nearly an hour before cooking. I’d been listening to those people who tell me to leave it for just 15 or so minutes. Although I don’t think it’s time that’s the important thing; it’s getting the batter really cold, so there’s as much difference in temperature between the batter and the oil as you can get.
Now all I have to do is repeat my success a few times, and I’ll be back on the rails.
September 19th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James.
December 27th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Being from Australia, I’ve never seen or heard of Yorkshire puddings until I saw them on quite a few episodes of Gordon Ramsay ’s Kitchen Nightmares – The Fenwick Arms episode with the campaign for real gravy, being the most notable.
Came across your blog and thought, it’s gonna be a while before I get across the pond to you guys, so I’ll give your recipe a whirl during the hoildays – thanks!
February 6th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Happy days, I think everybody who comes to England as a tourist should try Yorkshire puds in a pub. It’s just delicious! I guess easy to make but very difficult to master. I’ve seen my share of failed attempts!