At my house, if there wasn’t a Yorkshire pudding Christmas dinner was a bust. My mother always used a well-worn copy of The Joy of Cooking for hers and it worked no matter how many glasses of champagne had been downed.
I’ve been in charge for the past couple of years, and haven’t had the Joy to refer to, so I’ve been using this recipe that I’ve adapted from Serious Eats. It’s worked out just fine.
Yorkshire Pudding
- 4 large eggs (200g; 7 ounces)
- 150g all-purpose flour (5.25 ounces; about 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons)
- 175g whole milk (6 ounces; 3/4 cup) (see note)
- 25g water (.85 ounces; 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 100ml beef drippings, lard, shortening, or vegetable oil (about 1/2 cup)
Combine eggs, flour, milk, water, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until a smooth batter is formed. Let batter rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, for best results, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate batter overnight or for up to 3 days. Remove from refrigerator while you preheat the oven.
Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Divide drippings (or other fat) evenly between two 8-inch cast iron or oven-safe non-stick skillets. Preheat in the oven until the fat is smoking hot, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the pans or tins to a heat-proof surface (such as an aluminum baking sheet on your stovetop) and divide the batter evenly between the two pans (they should be filled about 1/4 of the way). Immediately return to oven. Bake until the Yorkshire puddings have just about quadrupled in volume, are deep brown all over, crisp to the touch, and sound hollow when tapped. Skillet-sized ones will take around 25 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!
My verdict:
Pretty spectacular! The secret is to make the batter ahead of time and chill it at least overnight. Besides making the puddings essentially fool-proof, it’s one less thing to do while you’re opening gifts and preparing a big meal.
If I’m home and have my scale, I use the weights, but if not, use a measuring cup. I use 1 cup of 2% milk instead of the whole milk water mix.
Cast iron skillets work great for this so use them if you have them.
