Homemade yorkshire puddings 101

Light, airy, and bigger than your head (almost)

A roast really isn’t a roast without Yorkshire puddings. And I don’t just mean roast beef. Chicken too, or any other meat for that matter.

The Telegraph published this article debating whether Yorkshire’s should be served with anything other than roast beef. The poll at the bottom of the page overwhelmingly shows that YES – we should be eating Yorkshire’s with everything! The public has spoken. Phew.

Not that any of us actually needed permission to stuff these puffy clouds of dough into our mouths with a side of gravy and meat each Sunday.

But the real question is, are you making your own or throwing a dozen Aunt Bessies in the oven?

I’m not condemning an occasional shortcut, but homemade Yorkshire’s really are the easiest thing if you have the right recipe, and they’re infinitely better than the frozen versions.

As for the right recipe? It’s this one from the BBC.

I’ve been using it for years now and it’s never failed. I used it the first time I ever made them, and they were perfect. In a rustic, uneven yorkshire pudding type of way. Crisp on the outside, light and airy on the inside.

If you’ve never tried making your own, I urge you to do this next time. You’ll wonder why you ever ate those chewy frozen versions.

4 simple ingredients, resulting in golden, puffy, well risen puddings.

• 140g plain flour 
• 4 eggs 
• 200ml milk
• sunflower oil, for cooking

The recipe makes 12 puddings so I usually halve it if I’m cooking for two. Adjust to suit your needs.

Simply pour your flour in a bowl and beat the eggs in until smooth. Gradually add the milk and continue mixing until the mixture is lump free. Season with salt and pepper to taste and pour the batter into a jug. Leave to rest until ready to go in the oven. Preparation: complete!

Drizzle half a teaspoon of sunflower oil into each hole of a pudding tray (I use a muffin one) – 12 if you’re making the full recipe, or 6 if you’ve halved it.

If your oven is small and you’re cooking a roast, like me you may not have enough room for the tin until you take the meat out of the oven. No worries – take the meat out, cover with foil and leave to rest on the side – it’ll taste better rested anyway.

If your oven is already on, turn it up to 230/fan 210 (if not, preheat 10 mins before). Put your pudding tray in the top shelf of the oven to heat (around 10 mins).

Now take the tray out of the oven and pour the batter evenly into each of the oiled holes. If your oil is hot enough it will sizzle – this is what you’re looking for!

Place the tray back in the oven and leave undisturbed – the recipe says for 20-25 mins but this will depend on your own oven. For me by around 15 minutes they’re done.

Don’t be tempted to open the oven door, especially in the first 10 minutes of cooking – the air you let in will cause the puddings to deflate and sink.

Remove from the oven once nicely puffed up and browned.

Once cooled, you can freeze for up to a month. Or they’re equally great reheated the next day with leftover roast potatoes, veg and meat for a quick and easy lunch (if not the most healthy!)