Origin of Yorkshire Pudding
As with many traditional dishes, the origin of Yorkshire pudding cannot be traced exactly. It’s difficult to imagine a world without flour, but without it there certainly would be no Yorkshire pudding or any of the other foods we take for granted - especially bread. Long before the wheel was invented, primitive people had realised that seeds that were indigestible could be ground to a powder on a grinding stone and turned into something edible.
How Did It Get Its Name?
Although some early form of Yorkshire pudding may have been cooked in a primitive cave it certainly would not have had anything to do with Yorkshire nor would it have been anywhere near as tasty. In fact, it really has nothing to do with Yorkshire apart from the fact that in 1747 a woman named Hannah Glasse, who lived near Yorkshire, wrote a best-selling cookery book called ‘Art of cookery Made Plain and simple’. It was she who re-invented and re-named the original version, called Dripping Pudding, which had been cooked in England for centuries, although these puddings were much flatter than the puffy versions we know today.
How to Cook the Perfect Yorkshire Pudding
The typical Yorkshire pudding is generally made with milk and water in order to make it light and crisp. It is essential to have very hot fat and a really hot pre-heated oven. They can be cooked in a large tray, about one inch deep and cut into slices, or cooked as separate small puddings in muffin pans. The traditional way to cook the puddings is in dripping (the fat that drips from the meat as it is roasting). You will have to be careful that you leave some for the gravy. Yorkshire pudding is much better cooked in a tin (a metal dish) rather a glass or earthenware dish. It’s a very good idea to prepare the batter about half an hour before the roast is ready to come out of the oven. Yorkshire pudding doesn’t take long to cook, so let the roast ‘rest’ while the puddings are cooking. Cover with some foil to keep warm.
Yorkshire Pudding Recipe (Serves 4) Ingredients
- 6 oz (180 g.) plain flour
- 1 pint (6 dl.) milk
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 1 oz. (30 g.) butter
- Good pinch of salt
Method
- Add the salt to the flour.
- Add the beaten eggs and beat well until batter is smooth. Slowly stir in the milk.
- Put the batter aside until it is ready to go into the oven.
- Put some dripping into your baking dish(es) and place in a pre-heated oven 400-450oF., gasmark 6-7
- middle shelf. When it is smoking hot, add the batter.
- Cook for about 20 minutes or until Yorkshire pudding is lightly browned and a little crispy around the edges.
- Don’t let the pudding sit around too long. Try to have the rest of the dinner ready to go as soon as the puddings are cooked.
TIP: Any left over batter can be kept in the fridge for a day or two and used to make pancakes, fritters, waffles, crepes, as well as that old British favourite Toad in the Hole.
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