Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to rising Yorkshire puddings? ›

How do you make Yorkshire puddings rise higher? Let the batter sit. Make sure you rest your batter rest for at least an hour before you cook to ensure a good rise and deliciously light puddings.

The origin story

Prior to being given the prefix of Yorkshire in 1747 in the bestselling cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Simple by English cookery writer Hannah Glasse, a Yorkshire Pudding was simply known as a “batter” or “dripping pudding”.

While it doesn't need to be cold, your batter should have time to rest. Our no-fail yorkies recipe recommends transferring your batter to a jug after mixing, then leaving it to rest for at least 15 minutes.

Plain flour is key, according to the Brits. The addition of bicarb or baking powder should not be added to the mix at all, and can even cause the puds to become flat, dense, or even burn.

I'm a Yorkshire woman, and I can tell you this — always use an extra egg to what it says in the recipe, and use animal fat like lard or dripping. The following makes a tray of 12 Yorkshire puddings, if you use a muffin (bun) tray. The tray is better if it is metal and heavy, it will retain heat better.

Cold batter and hot oil are the successful combination for a well risen and crisp pudding. Make sure your Rapeseed Oil is smoking hot before pouring your batter into the tin. It's the best oil for the job.

History. The popover is an American version of Yorkshire pudding and similar batter puddings made in England since the 17th century, The oldest known reference to popovers dates to 1850. The first cookbook to print a recipe for popovers was in 1876.

And room temperature batter is ideal

Room temperature vs cold batter: if your batter is at room temperature when it hits the hot pan, you will get a better rise with a crispier hollow pudding. If your batter is cold, your Yorkshires will be slightly more dense inside but with that perfect gravy-pooling cup shape.

A good Yorkshire pudding batter will work in any size pan. I did most of my testing in large 6-well popover tins, but the batter works equally well in muffin tins, mini muffin tins, and in a preheated cast iron skillet or casserole dish (these large-format methods being the most traditional).

Remember to (carefully) flip

Another top tip from Adam: to avoid soggy bottoms, try flipping your Yorkshire puddings two-or-three minutes before the end of cooking time. It will dry the bottoms out and ensure you get a nice, even crunch. But remember to flip them carefully, using a utensil; they'll be boiling hot!

Why do my Yorkshire puddings go flat when I take them out the oven? ›

The most common reason is that it isn't hot enough. Sometimes because the oven door is open too long or the pan or fat isn't hot enough before the batter is added.

The only difference is the way you cook it. Yorkshire pudding batter is just pancake mix cooked in the oven. The consistency of Yorkshire pudding batter should be like a single cream and you should always leave the batter to sit for at least an hour before cooking.

To help puddings rise, let the batter sit for a minimum of 30 minutes—longer if possible (up to several hours is ideal). You can cook the puddings right away, but there is a chance they will not be as big as they should be.

To keep the puddings from deflating while waiting for everyone to come to the table, I turn my oven off and leave the door partially open with the puddings inside.

There's no need for the batter to stand, or to be made in advance. Preheat your oven to 200°C and put a small amount of beef dripping or lard (vegetable oil, if you must, but it won't taste as good) into the silicone bakeware and let it melt as the oven heats up.

Resting the batter overnight is key for developing better flavor. Forget about cold batter: letting it rest at room temperature helps it rise taller as it bakes. A combination of milk and water gives the Yorkshire puddings extra rise and crispness.

Yorkshire puddings don't need baking powder or other raising agent, the secret to a good rise is plenty of eggs, hot fat and a hot oven. My mother's secret recipe is 1oz plain flour, 2 fl. oz. milk, 1 egg, a drop of water, and a little salt and pepper.

Getting your Yorkshires to rise:

Toad in the Hole needs a hot dish with plenty of oil. Using a metal baking tin and adding the batter quickly is recommended. Also, the dish needs to be large enough so that the batter can creep around the edges (at least 30cm x 25cm ideally).

Be sure to close the oven door slowly so you don't force all the hot air out. Oh, and don't open the door to check on progress – the cold air will make your puds sag. Keep an eye on your creations through the glass door of the oven. When they rise and look golden-brown and crisp on top, they're done.