Yorkshire Pudding

Another recipe from my parent’s stay in the UK in the 1960’s, where the “char” woman on Ebury Court (whose name I sadly have long forgotten) taught my mother this staple for Sunday or holiday cooking. It is said to be “born in a Yorkshire pub and fit for Belgravia”.

A simple, traditional companion for roast beef it is simultaneously simple in preparation, fragile in execution, and fool-proof in flavor. During the busy preparations for a holiday dinner these are the best “two of three” to have…

The Principal secrets of this recipe are the temperature of the ingredients, the frothiness of the batter, the heat of the pan, and the speed of the preparation and serving. Mine usually lasts about 90 seconds before falling – albeit gracefully – as this photo (taken about five minutes after the smoke alarm went off) testifies!

Ingredients:

• Eggs (very fresh – room temperature)
• Flour
• Milk (room temperature)
• Butter (soft)
• Beef Drippings (a large, well marbled roast is preferable to a sirloin tip)
• Kosher Salt and black finely ground pepper
• Dried herbs (Tarragon or Thyme), Colman’s Mustard, or Worcestershire sauce (if desired)

(Note the absence of any rising agent other than the eggs)

Method:

Slowly add eggs, flour, milk, salt and pepper (and any herbs, dry mustard, or splash of Worcester sauce) in a very warm blender (a soak in hot water for five minutes does the trick) and whip until just frothy. Let restart least thirty minutes.

Add butter and beef drippings to a hot muffin tin (or roast pan) after the roast has been removed to rest. They should measure about 2-3 tsp per muffin tin well. Spray with a non-stick spray if desired.

Add pudding mixture to fill about a third of each opening. Overfilling will effect the ability to rise.

Bake at 350 to 400 (a hot oven) degrees until “popped”. Resist the temptation to open the oven door while cooking – and serve with the speed of the British Secret Service in pursuit of Goldfinger….

Images – 2021 – KPS

Cooking in the roast pan will inevitably result in a “fall” of the pudding (perhaps even while in the oven). The muffin tin stands more a chance in a “full” resentation, but no matter, the taste is perfect when served with beef gravy, a hollandaise, and perhaps a few mushrooms sautéed in sherry.

“British food is a celebration of comfort eating. Our traditional savoury recipes are all about warmth and sustenance, our puddings a roll call of sweet jollity, our cakes are deep and cosy. We appear to be a nation in need of a big, warm hug.”

– Nigel Slater

Order of the British Empire

English food writer, journalist and broadcaster.