How to make a traditional Yorkshire pudding
The quintessentially British Yorkshire pudding is probably the best-known Yorkshire food. Light and deliciously crisp on the outside while soft and fluffy inside, Yorkshire pudding is a traditional side dish to accompany roast beef and fiery hot horseradish sauce.
Historically, these delicious batter puddings were baked in a large dish, with the dripping from spit-roast beef. Like many peasant dishes, “Yorkies” were a cheap and filling dish used to fill hungry bellies and help meagre amounts of meat stretch further.
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Today, while purists may scoff, Yorkshire puddings are sometimes served with other roast meats. You can also stuff Yorkshire puddings with savoury treats like roast beef and horseradish or tasty vegetarian options, and they're even available as fast food wraps or sweet treats. Global variations of the Yorkshire pudding include popovers in the US and Dutch babies in the Netherlands, but neither is quite the same as a Yorkshire pudding!
The two challenges with making your own Yorkies are getting them to rise and making them light and crispy. Here's my granny's recipe for how to make "proper" Yorkshire puddings that rise every time. The key things to remember are to use plain flour (never self-raising) and a scorching hot oven!
Ingredients
- 200 g plain flour
- 3 large eggs
- 300 ml milk
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil (Granny used lard or beef dripping)
- salt and pepper
Directions
- 1Put the flour and seasoning into a large mixing bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, whisking the ingredients together vigorously with a balloon whisk until smooth and glossy. You could also use an electric whisk.
- 2Drizzle the milk in slowly while whisking.
- 3Chill the batter for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- 4Preheat the oven to 225C / 425F / gas mark 9.
- 5Pour the oil into the holes of a deep 12-hole cupcake/muffin tin.
- 6Put the tin into the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the oil is sizzling hot.
- 7Carefully pour the batter into the hot oil, filling each hole no more than one-third full.
- 8Return the tin to the oven for 25-30 minutes until well-risen and golden brown.
- 9Serve your Yorkshire puddings piping hot with your roast dinner and lashings of proper gravy.
Top Tip: Whatever you do, don't put too much batter in the muffin tins (they rise a lot) and don't open the oven door until the Yorkshires are done (or they will sink like a brick).
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Last Updated 24 October 2022
