We take Yorkshire Puddings very seriously here at Yorkshire Appetite and we’ve been doing some serious research. We ask all our guests for their tips on how to make the best Yorkshire Pudding, and the same things come up again and again.
A proper Yorkshire Pudding rise into a heavenly cloud of crisp golden brown. In 2008 the Royal Society of Chemistry declared that a true Yorkshire Pudding should be at least four inches tall. Let’s have a think about how can be achieved!
The batter needs to rest for at least 30 minutes or even overnight in the fridge – it’s something science-y to do with relaxing the gluten in the mix. Bring it back up to room temperature and only add salt or seasoning just before cooking.
Everyone always agrees on one thing – that the oil should be really, really hot. It’s best to use oils like vegetable oil or sunflower oil that have a high smoking point. If you’re after traditional, go for beef dripping. The Yorkshire pudding was originally called a “dripping pudding”, cooked under the meat to catch all those delicious juices.
“Them ‘at eats t’most pudding gets t’most meat”
As children growing up in Yorkshire, we used to be served the Yorkshire pudding with gravy as a starter……maybe as a way to ensure we didn’t eat lots of expensive meat!
The world record for the most Yorkshire puddings eaten in one sitting is 400! Traditionalists serve puddings with their Sunday roast whilst others have them with any meal, including Christmas dinner.
Many folks these days use muffin tins, but we prefer the four-pudding shallow tin of our childhood. Put that oil in the tin and put it back in your hot oven to heat. When you pour the batter in, it needs to sizzle!! The hot oil and oven create steam and that’s what you want to create the lift in your Yorkshire puddings.
Now, we know it’s tempting to open that oven door to check on progress…..but NO, give them at least 20-25 minutes of interrupted cooking before peeking.
Let’s head back to that recipe for a perfect Yorkshire Pudding… everyone has their own preferences and their own secret additions. I find the easiest recipe to remember is to use equal volumes of eggs, flour, and milk. Put your eggs into a glass and then you have a benchmark for the other ingredients. Don’t be tempted to use self-raising flour – it’s plain flour every day.
Making the perfect Yorkshire pudding is part science, part art, and part sheer stubborn Yorkshire spirit.
