The Great British Yorkshire Pudding

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As a child during the late 50’s and early 60’s I remember sitting with my family every Sunday enjoying a traditional roast dinner. Although we did not have a lot of money mum always managed to find enough to provide us with chicken, or if we were really lucky Beef, mashed carrot and turnip with plenty of black pepper, roast parsnips, cabbage, roast potatoes, gravy made from the meat juices and the heavenly and national dish, Yorkshire Pudding.
To those who have never tasted Yorkshire Puddings and wonder what on earth it is, well it is quite hard to describe. Basically it’s a batter made from flour, eggs, milk, seasoning and fat. The batter is cooked in the oven where it rises and should be light, fluffy but also crispy. The best way to eat Yorkshire Pudding is with lovely thick gravy but it can also be eaten with sausages cooked in the batter, which is called Toad in the Hole. Or it can be enjoyed as a separate dish with a big blob of jam in the middle

The Origins of Yorkshire Pudding

The origin of Yorkshire Pudding is unknown but the first ever recipe for this dish, then know as dripping pudding, was found in 1737. Traditionally Yorkshire Pudding was made using the fat that dripped from the meat into a tray, hence the name dripping pudding. Originally Yorkshire pudding was eaten before the meal as a filling starter particularly when meat was a luxury. Despite its name there is no evidence to suggest that the pudding originated in Yorkshire.

Light Fluffy and Crisp

There are many recipes for Yorkshire Pudding. However, over the years I have never really achieved the same results as my mother and I’m afraid to say that my children rarely enjoy the light, fluffy and crunchy Yorkshire's that my mother produced. Sadly mine tended to be flat and stodgy.
However on moving to Spain to run a restaurant the English chef gave me a recipe that never fails and I am willing to share this with you.

Recipe

Foolproof Recipe
All you need is flour, eggs, milk, oil, salt, an oven and pasty tins.
The trick is to take an equal measure of flour, eggs and milk. The best way to do this is to take three glasses
Break the eggs and put into one glass.
Then take flour and milk. Pour the milk into the second glass so that it is the same level as the eggs. Do the same with the flour.
Put all the ingredients into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and beat.
Take a patty dish and put a small amount of oil into each section.
Place the tray / moulds with a drop of oil in the bottom in the oven to pre-heat (180° to 200°C) for 15 minutes.

When hot, pour in the batter.
Place on the middle shelf and bake for approximately 12 minutes until risen, golden brown and slightly crisp.

For those who like me have always suffered from flat and soggy Yorkshire puddings then this recipe will change your life. For those who have never tried Yorkshire's then give them a go and I hope.