RECIPE: Yorkshire Puddings

Tried and tested seasonal recipes from our country cookery school kitchen.  As well as hacks and get ahead tips for EVERY cook. 

The ultimate accompaniment to the traditional Sunday roast.  Scroll down for tips and tricks to make your best EVER puddings.

Total 25 mins

You will also need:

• 1 bun or muffin tin
• 1 shallow roasting tin
• 1 cooling rack

Method

Sift flour into a bowl making a well in the centre to add the eggs

If mixing by hand, incorporate the flour gradually and then add the milk and water combined. Continue whisking until you have a achieved a smooth batter.

Or measure ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on moderate speed until no lumps remain.

Pour the batter into a large jug and set it aside to rest* for 20 minutes.  Pre-heat conventional oven to 220 C or Gas 7  and slide shelf to upper or middle runner dependent on your oven and making sure the puddings will have plenty of room to rise. (scroll down for AGA notes & kitchen hacks).

Grease muffin tin with oil or dripping and as soon as oven has reached temperature, preheat the muffin tin until the fat/oil is very hot and just reached smoking point. This will take (about ten minutes).

Season ‘rested’ batter with sea salt and black pepper.  Whisk batter to combine.

Bake in a conventional oven for approximately 25 – 30 minutes until well risen and dark golden brown.  The tray may need turning for the last five minutes to ensure even browning.

Remove from tins and either serve immediately or allow to get completely cold, freeze and store for up to 3 months in the freezer.

To serve, place on a baking sheet at the top of the roasting oven to reheat and crisp.

How to make YOUR best Yorkshire Puddings

• Make sure to use medium sized eggs or reduce the quantity (as stated in the recipe).  Too much egg, or using all full fat milk, will make the puddings heavy.
• Ideally rest the batter.  This allows the flour to swell and absorb the liquid and will give you a lighter result and superior rise.
• Always preheat the tin once your preferred fat or oil has been added.  Select a fat that has a HIGH smoke point, such as beef dripping, local rapeseed oil or cold pressed, organic sunflower oil.
• Don’t add the batter until the oil is smoking hot.
• Don’t over fill the moulds more than half full.
• If you want to achieve ‘cup shaped’ puddings, don’t refill, the moulds once you have filled each.  Save the batter for a second batch.  Topping up the batter once it has already started to cook in the hot fat, will create a puff shape rather than a hollow or ‘cup’.
• Bake your puddings before you start roasting your meat.  Remove them to a cake cooking rack & simply reheat just before serving.  This means that the puddings can be made whilst the oven is piping hot and they’re not left to the last minute!
• Any leftover puddings can be frozen and filled with meat ragu or sausages & onion gravy for a mid-week ‘freezer’ supper.
• Baby Yorkshire puddings made in tiny muffin tins can be frozen ahead of time and make a really popular canape for drinks parties.

Ideas for canape fillings:

Duck breast with sour cherries or plum sauce

Slices of chipolatas glazed in honey and wholegrain mustard

Rare roast beef with potato puree flavoured with cream & horseradish

AGA Cooks Tip

Add your preferred oil or fat to the bun tin.  Place this within a shallow roasting tin and preheat both tins on the floor of the AGA roasting oven.

To fill your bun tin: Lift the lid of the boiling plate and place the shallow roasting tin + prepared bun tin directly on top.  Half fill each mould with batter.  Any remaining batter can be reused in a second batch of puddings.

To bake in the AGA: Slide grid shelf to third runner (counting downwards) in the AGA roasting oven.