Yorkshire Puddings
I am asked over and over again about how to make a good Yorkshire Pudding. A good pudding is light, very well risen with a crisp yet soft texture. A good Yorkshire should never be hard, rubbery or doughy. A traditional Yorkshire pudding is about 7.5cm wide and about 5cm tall and would have been served with gravy before the main course of roast beef. Any leftovers would have been eaten with golden syrup, jam or lemon curd. Nowadays we tend to serve the Yorkshire pudding, reduced in size with the main course. A 12 hole muffin tin is perfect and this recipe will give you 12 beautifully risen, light, golden puddings. HOW TO VIDEO LINK : https://youtu.be/gSucu4GjT5A
Preparation
For a really smooth batter I always mix by hand just using a fork. My Yorkshire Pudding tin is well seasoned. I never wash it ! It is a tin, blackened over time that is used for nothing other than my perfect puddings.
In a large mixing bowl put the flour, salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre then add an egg. Use the fork and mix the egg with a little of the flour, still maintaining the well in the centre. Add the rest of the eggs one by one and continue to mix to a very thick mixture, bringing the flour into the well little by little. Eventually you will achieve a really thick mix – even thicker than a cake mix. Keep beating with the fork until you see that every lump of flour has been absorbed and you have a smooth yet thick dough. Now you can begin to add your liquids. Start a little at a time with the milk and once the milk has been incorporated then add the 60ml water. Mixing is now much easier and the batter will become the consistency of thick unwhipped cream and there will be no lumps.
At this stage I transfer the batter into a large jug (a jug is much easier to use when filling your tin) and place it into the fridge. When I am really organised I make the batter the day before I need it.
When ready to make the puddings take the Yorkshire Pudding tin and place a thumbnail sized piece of fat into each hole of the tin. Pop the tin into the cold oven then turn it on and allow to come to a temperature of 220 degrees c (fan). Take the jug of batter from the fridge and if it has been standing a long time you will find it looks unpleasant and has separated a little. Perfect !! Take the other 20 ml of water, add it to the jug and give the whole lot a really good beating with a fork. The batter will return to its former glory.
When the oven has come to temperature take the tin out, the fat and tin will be very hot so be careful. Pour the batter into each cup filling to about 2/3 to ¾ full then pop straight back into the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes. After 15 minutes your puddings will be well risen and brown and you may feel they are ready but if you take them out this early they will sink. Turn the oven down to 180 degrees for the remainder of the cooking time.
Serve immediately. You can freeze any leftovers but they are not as delicious as those made and served straight from the oven.
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