English Traditions - Yorkshire Puddings Perfect Every Time!
My husband is British born and my Mother-In-Law loves cooking traditional meals even though they have lived on Australia for many years. Here in the states, it's fun to experiment with different things British and one of my favorite dishes is Yorkshire Pudding. People guess they are hard to make, but there really isn't anything easier. We like them for Sunday dinner along with a roasted meat (usually beef) and a bit of gravy to go with it, although many people love these eggy crepe delights for breakfast too.
INGREDIENTS:
Whole Eggs, Milk, Flour and a pinch of salt (more on measurements below)
What is the secret to Yorkshires? My Mother-In-Law says it's a very hot oven, smoking hot grease/fat and the right mixture of eggs, milk and flour. She also has another secret that she was hesitant to share until I pressed her about measurements. She said:
1. Measure your eggs in a large measuring cup (Usually 4 whole eggs) - REMEMBER YOUR MARK!
2. Now, measure exactly the same amount of milk as your eggs measured - KEEP REMEMBERING THAT MARK!
3. Now, measure out exactly the same amount of all purpose flour as your eggs measured.
In other words, if your eggs measured 1 cup, then you'd want a cup of milk and a cup of flour. Now you have the three key ingredients for never fail Yorkshires... but there's more!
Using a mixer, blend together the eggs and the milk and add a pinch of salt. Let that sit on the counter to rest in a bowl for about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, take out a 12 muffin muffin tin or a 6 popover popover tin. Pinch off about a pea size bit of beef fat, lard or if you want, you can use vegetable oil (approximately 1/2 tsp in each Yorkie cup. Veg oil does not impart the roasted meat taste, but it is a decent substitute if you need one.
Now, your egg mixture should have rested long enough. Now it's time to add the flour, but you'll want to sift it quickly into the egg/milk mixture. Use your hand mixer and incorporate the flour, egg and milk together well until the consistency is like a thick cream. Let this mixture rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes or longer.
About 15 minutes before you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Pop in the tin with the fat on the bottom and let it sit in the hot oven until it is starting to smoke. This takes about 10 minutes.
Remove the tin and quickly fill each cup about half way. (Note: you'll know your pans are ready if you hear the batter sizzle as you pour it in.) Return the pan quickly to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Whatever you do, DO NOT OPEN YOUR OVEN during the baking time. You can watch the show through the glass in your oven.. after about 8 minutes of baking, your Yorkies will begin to rise and they will emerge from your oven gorgeous, browned and crisp. Enjoy them!
I almost passed this one by but I am sure glad I did not - they are beautiful and sound tasty too. If I had it would have been out of ignorance - I did not know what Yorkshire Pudding was - so now I know and I am sure I will try them very soon. Thank you for sharing your family secrets with us all.
Ben
looking and what a nice recipe. I remember my mother and her mom both born in England making these with roasted prime rib dinner...ymmm!
Sylvia
Do you have a recipe for lemon curd to go with them?
do you have this recipe.. it's made in less than 5 minutes.and is super.. honest..
better than playing about with a double saucepan.... qahtan
Hi
I was born in Yorkshire, and lived there through to going to university.
One other tip. Make the batter ahead of schedule, and allow it to stand.
Hot oven, yes; hot fat to line the tins, very definitely.
I'm a weigh rather than measure boy myself. But you do have to be accurate, for sure.
These are bang-on, tho! Have you ever made bigger ones in a loaf tin?
Best wishes
Andy
Hi Andy,
I know one cup of eggs, milk and flour they weighs different, can you share your recipe in weight?
siuflower
There are some things that do better by measure. This is one of them, at least for me. Remember, this isn't a recipe reliant on flour weight accuracy. The entire recipes' success rests heavily on your FIRST measure.. the eggs.
I can't guarantee the recipe with weights, but with measures you can't go wrong. Go ahead, break out that measuring cup. I won't tell.
OK, I will try and it look simple enough.
Thank you for posting the recipe.
siuflower
Hi Siuflower,
Belles about right on this; what works best for you!
If you want the weight it's very simple:
100 soft flour, 100 egg, 100 liquid [half milk/half water], 2 salt
That's done as bakers percentages.
You can use this in combinatiobn with Belles' method
BW
Andy
The beauty of the formula I submitted is its simplicity. Since eggs weigh different than flour, you would have a different percentage and therefore, a different recipe altogether than Andy's (particularly when you're diluting the milk with water, changing altogether the formulation of one of the top three ingredients). Not saying Andy's recipe is wrong, incorrect, or shouldn't be used.. but mine is not based on percentages, therefore Andy's would be a different formula. Andy, I'd be curious to do a side by side taste test of yours vs my Mother In Laws. Maybe I'll ask my husband to pick out which is which :)
With that said, however, one can find any number of incredible Yorkshire pudding recipes that are all formulated slightly differently. In the end, it comes down to personal preference, taste, tradition and what works best for you. Not trying to be picky, but Andy's Yorkshire pudding, as delicious as it might be.. is a different recipe to mine when weighed based on percentages. It's equally good to eat, I'm sure.
I published this one because it is so different from the way we are trained to think in terms of bakers percentages and bakers math. Every time I make it, I feel as if I'm "cheating" and I get a little giggle when they come out as perfectly as if I weighed them.
For traditional or artisan breads, I agree that measuring vs weighing would have different results. However, for this fun recipe, we can relax and take off the bakers hat for just a moment and enjoy it for what it is. At the end of the day, it's lovely to know that Yorkies don't have to come out of a box and any good recipe is a treat to behold.. no matter how it comes together.
I love Yorkshire puddings and I make a pretty good batch now and again but I like the look of yours so I think I'll give this version a go next time! Thanks for sharing. I allways prefer a family recipe!
Jeb,
I have a great Lemon Curd recipe I can post later. (It's at home I'm at work!)
Shannon
Ok so it was driving me crazy and I looked it up. Here is my Lemon Curd recipe. It's from Lesley Mackley's "The Book Of Afternoon Tea".
LEMON CURD
4 LEMONS (FOR JUICE AND ZEST)
1 3/4 C SUGAR
1 1/2 C BUTTER (CUT INTO SMALL PIECES)
4 EGGS BEATEN
IN A HEATPROOF BOWL COMBINE THE LEMON JUICE AND ZEST. STIR IN SUGAR AND BUTTER. SET BOWL OVER A SAUCEPAN OF SIMMERING WATER STIRRING OCCASSIONALLY UNTIL BUTTER IS MELTED AND SUGAR IS DISSOLVED. STRAIN IN EGGS AND CONTINUE STIRRING UNTIL MIXTURE IS THICK AND CREAMY, ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES. (SHOULD COAT THE BACK OF A WODDEN SPOON) MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 LBS.
That sounds good. Does anyone have a recipe for traditional British scones.. the creamy, fluffy and light ones? What a great combo!
I know there are a number of recipes on here and a couple of threads dedicated to scones. Here is my recipe if you'd like it. They are quite nice!
http://bolognatobolognese.blogspot.com/2010/05/buttered-scones-and-tea.html
I do enjoy a nice, soft scone. The British had the right idea.. even in times of conflict and battle, one always took time for a proper "cuppa" with a freshly baked scone. LOL
In Australia, the scones I tried in tea houses tended to be much higher and lighter than british cream/milk scones. My Mother in law uses self-rising flour if I recall correctly, but not sure why you shouldn't use regular with baking powder.
Again, thanks for sharing.
My Mother In Law makes hers in a big tin and does exactly the same thing. I agree that letting the dough rest on the counter is key to good ones, but I'll be honest. I've baked these in a multitude of ways. Last night, I put the roast in and whipped up the batter.. I normally do it this way and let it sit on the counter as the roast cooks. However, some mornings, I've made these as a side thought and only let the batter sit for 20 minutes and they still raise beautifully and taste fantastic.
One thing that I feel makes a big difference is the use of farm fresh eggs in this dish. The Yorkie batter is colorful and very yellow compared to the pale color of regular eggs and the batter has a much better structure overall.
And, one final note.. as I said above, there are some dishes that just need to be measured, not weighed. If this were a bread recipe in the traditional sense, I would understand the need to weigh. But the egg measure directs everything else that follows in this dish and it is this measure that creates the pathway to success.
This is another, slightly different version I know works well.
1/2 lb flour
4 eggs
1/2pt milk
pinch of S & P
Mix eggs and flour.
Add S & P and milk & stir thoroughly; I use an electric whisk.
Stand for 1/2 hour.
Half fill a HOT oiled tin / individual pans and bake for 15 minutes at 425 F.
In England it is traditionally made by pouring the batter into the bottom of the meat roasting tin part way through cooking. The meat being up on a trivet. It then cooks as a single pudding in the meat (traditionally beef) fat and gets all the juices dripped on it. The individual puddings are the posh way of serving it, but always as an accompaniment to roast meats.
In the olden days it was then cut up and served before the main course to fill up the diners so they wouldn't want so much expensive meat!
The individual puddings usually have a well in the middle of them which can be a container for the gravy.
I've made mine both ways.. in the tin and in the individual pans and wondered why the smaller ones had the well in the center. My husband likes those because of the gravy boat result, but I like either. Since I like a good, REAL gravy with my roast, I cook my roast a bit differently in order to get lots of brown bits on the bottom and rich juices from the meat. I usually skim off the fat and use it in the tins and because of wanting real gravy, I've always done the individuals.
For my roast, I choose a nice rib roast (bone in or not) with a nice fat cap and season the top simply and generously with S&P. I lay the roast directly into the pan and bake at 500 degrees farenheit for about 30 minutes. Then I turn the heat down to 325 to finish off the roast. When I remove the roast to a platter to hold, I get the best drippings for gravy known to modern mankind :)
I will say that this time in the Yorkies, I used farm eggs that we purchased locally through a nearby dairy that I just learned sells fresh eggs. My batter was vivid, bright and yellow and there was a definite richness to the Yorkies that I had not seen in a long time. I used to raise my own hens years ago and had forgotten the incredible difference a fresh egg can make.
Thanks for posting all your recipes... I'm on a mission now :)
In some UK pubs you can get a Yorkshire Pudding as bar food. It's a large individual pudding (8 - 10 inches diameter) and you can have a variety of fillings in the well, baked beans, chilli, etc.
Like Patf's "Another way" post below.
The traditional way may well be cooking the Yorkshire puddings with meat, but my sister's mother-in-law has always served them to me with lemon-curd, and she's as British as they come. She came to the US in the early 50's.
I must confess I've never heard of eating Yorkshire Pudding as a sweet dish, then I was born a Londoner! But hey, who am I to say how anyone should eat anything? Just enjoy them anyway you like.
Note, this is a UK (Imperial) 20 fl oz pint, not a US one.
with Yorkshires: my Gran was a Yorkshire lass and used to serve them as a dessert, with syrup. A bit fattening though.
I used to make them for the family in sponge cake tins, like flan cases. Then fill them with eg minced beef, tuna and sweet corn etc. The kids loved them.
Yummo!! My Mother In Law is from Yorkshire as well. She likes them made with currants in the morning. Using bacon fat and a squeeze of lemon and powdered sugar. So good. They are actually not that far off from the German Puff Pancake, which is also a morning favorite at our house.
Your ideas for filled Yorkies sounds great. My husband would love those, he misses his Aussie meat pies and this might be a good way to do them. A nice idea for shepherd pie mince as well.. I'm getting fatter just typing about that!
BellesAZ,
Or anyone who might know. What is the purpose of the 10 min. wait and then another 30 min wait before baking? When I first started making these many years ago, my sister had me convinced that you had to beat the daylights out of them on high speed to incorporate air into the batter. Now I use a whisk. These are perfect for me because they seem to turn out no matter what I do.:>)
Eric
a vision of loveliness, Eric! I see you're a much better pourer than I am. I make a big mess and my hand gets shaky. LOL
Hi Eric,
Allows the proteins to relax a little, so the Yorkshire Puddings aren't rubbery. I don't think beating the daylights out of the mix is the best way to get lift. The smoky hot fat and hot oven are more effective.
It's really good to see you back on TFL!
All good wishes
Andy
A quick search does not reveal any reason for letting the batter stand (in one recipe it suggests several hours is better!), but I was told years ago that it was to fully hydrate the flour. I don't know if this is any more true than the other suggestions, or just another way of saying it.
Hi pjaj,
I agree extended standing time is to allow the flour to absorb extra moisture. I think I mentioned this further up the thread. However, this has only small impact if the standing time is reduced to a half hour...remember the batter has a reasonable fat content!
But, egg is full of protein; the batter is high in liquid. Does it not stand to reason that extensive beating will result in toughening the the proteins in both the egg and flour? I was trying to suggest this in a way which made it self explanatory and easy to just agree with.
Best wishes
Andy
I don't know the chemical explanation , but I've noticed that allowing batter to stand for a while before using results in it becoming thicker.
When first mixed it can be like single cream, after half an hour, double cream.
Same with pancake batter.
Our posts crossed I see. I added a pix of my morning indulgence. I've been around, just not posting much. I saved some fat scraps from steaks a couple nights ago as was suggested above for the bottom of the pans. Nice flavor! Yorkshire puddings are an item that will bring me out of retirement. Such a nice flavor, it's a comfort food for me.
Eric
Comfort food; yes indeed!
Very lovely Eric! Fancy trying to make one large pudding in a big loaf tin?
BW
Andy
No discussion about Yorkshire pudding is complete without mention of another British classic - Toad in the Hole.
Depending upon the number of diners, take 6 to 12 good pork or beef sausages (or experiment with others if you like) and put in a roasting dish with a little fat / oil to stop them sticking. They will produce more fat as they cook. Roast in a hot oven till they are just cooked right through then pour in your pre-prepared Yorkshire Pudding batter and return to the hot oven for a further 15-20 minutes, until the batter has risen and cooked. Serve with veg and gravy.
Some recipes say to put all the ingredients, raw sausages and batter, into a hot tin together, but I've found that the batter insulates the sausages and they may well not cook right through before the batter is well done. (Old family saying - when it's black it's done!)
These can be made as individual puddings using a small baking dishes big enough to accommodate a portion of sausages.
I forgot about those. My husband loves them with chipolata (sp), which we can't really get here in the states. I like the pre-roasting idea since you're using that fat. Holy cow, that sounds so good.. and really simple. Thanks for the idea.
That's how my mother used to make it. One large roasting pan and we would fight for the scraps.
Eric
who won the fight Eric?
A
BellesAZ, I hope you don't mind our prattling on here about how wonderful your puddings are. I like the measuring format very much. I'm trying to encourage my daughter to try a few of the things she likes and this works out perfectly to an even dozen filled half way up. I pull the hot smoking pan and place it on the open door to keep the heat up in the cups while I pour. Your trick of pinching a small piece of beef fat is a magic flavor enhancer. I could tell right away, heavenly aroma.
Next time I will promise to be more patient and wait for the batter to mature.
Eric
No worries, Eric! There are probably as many variations to the recipe as there are English Mothers. Let me just address one of your questions - why the wait time?? I have no clue! I am no expert, but I am guessing that a 30 (or more) minute hold enhances the flavors and when you're using fresh egg and milk, the milk has had a chance to come up to room temperature, absorb more flour and the egg somehow does its work in there too. I know you can get the same rise with batters that have sat on the counter for two hours as batters that have sat there 10 minutes - I've done it myself, forgetting about making the puddings until the very last minute. But I think the batter that has been set for at least 30 mins or more has a better texture. It also could just be a tradition that's been passed along for generations.
I have always let mine set for at least 30 mins, but mostly it's longer since I usually prepare my batter when I put my roast in the oven. All of the historic English recipes say 2 hours for the most part. It would be interesting for you to do a side by side taste test to see if there is any difference.
No matter what, they are fun to make, fun to eat and oh, so good.
Interesting to note that the simple Yorkshire pudding may be on the verge of achieving special status like Parma Ham, Champagne and Roquefort cheese. If the Yorkshire food council has their way, they will be able to protect the name Yorkshire Pudding and even pubs and manufacturers of box recipes will only be able to call it Yorkshire Pudding if it is manufactured in Yorkshire. We will still be able to buy it in a pub, but it will most likely be called Dripping Pudding or some other name.
The world is crazy.
I've ever used for Yorkshire Pudding was from The Vincent Price Cookbook , the ingredients were blended in a blender and then left to sit until the roast was done (the accompanying roast rib of beef recipe is extraordinary also) and then re-blended just before pouring into the delicious smoking hot beef drippings. There is something about the puffy, eggy pudding flavored with the roast drippings that is just fantastic!! Nowadays, finding (and being able to afford) a 4 rib beef roast is a rare thing but all the great posts about Yorkshire Pudding has got me craving it!!
We usually get our rib roasts from Costco and generally I only make them a couple times a year (once on New Years Day as a tradition). However, any roast offers up some fat and enough drippings to make a gravy. I have even used bacon fat for them if I'm making them with a roast I have in my pressure cooker or other. My husband only asks that there is gravy when they are served! You can be sure that at the turn of the century English commoners couldn't afford a rib roast either and during the war, there was nothing at all so grand. Yet, Yorkshire puddings remained a staple.
Thanks BellesZ for posting this amazingly simple solution to a lifetime of failures. i use this recipe for Pannekoeken as well and the results are just as spectacular.
mmm - those are lovely looking yorkshires. Think it might be time for a roast beef sunday lunch again soon (always popular in our house - also given I'm not a big fan of turkey the children think roast beef is traditional christmas food :-) )
The advice on this thread is spot I think - hot oil, hot oven is the key, I let the batter stand for a while too (at least an hour often ends up longer)
The only other thing I would add is that if your house is anything like our house - you almost certainly haven't made enough.
Nut (no pun intended ) this is a recipe I would sub coconut cream instead.
We no longer drink cows milk but I have found a good sub for it when baking is coconut cream. Creamy, full fat, and bakes up nice.
I haven't tried it in this recipe but it makes great souffle which is similar.
When I make Yorkshire Pudding, I get so much spatter from the grease that it bakes on a horrible mess in my oven, and I have enough smoke coming out that the smoke alarm goes off. The Yorkshire Pudding is really tasty and beautiful though! Does anyone else have this problem? Am I using too much of those tasty drippings?
You only need just a touch of the fat to put in the bottom of the tins. I only use maybe a pea size of cold fat, or if the fat is liquid, like off my roast, I use a half tsp. Where is your oven rack? Maybe move it up to the upper middle? I have a bit of smoking, but that's what you want.. your fat is just right when it starts to smoke. If you're getting spattering, I'd reduce the amount of fat you are putting in.
Ha! I guess I am. I have always used my Joy of Cooking recipe..."Have ready...hot muffin tins containing 1/4 in. beef drippings...". I guess there lies the problem! Thanks--I'll have to try this recipe--so glad that it was posted!
That is a lot of fat. I wonder why they would say to use so much? A little does go a long way.. enjoy!
I have to thank you for sharing this recipe. Whenever it is someone's special day in our house, I (mom) ask what they want for their special dinner. It almost always includes yorkshires :) I came across this recipe after trying a few, and it is the winner for sure! They are always light and fluffy and HUGE!! Love them! Thank you. I'm looking forward to trying the lemon curd recipe I saw in one of the comments above too!!! Yum!