Originally Yorkshire pudding was cooked in one big tray under the spit roast to catch all the drippings and served before the main meal so you'd fill up with bread and eat less meat. Nowadays it's usually individual puddings, cooked on a special tray with wide shallow holes or on a regular muffin tray. You want the tray piping hot before pouring in the batter so get the oiled tray in the oven warming up at least 15 minutes before. Use caution, don't burn yourself. You can use oil or animal fat of your choice. 350-390°F, if I converted right. (180-200°C). When you fill the divets, the batter should sizzle and when returned to the oven, should start rising high from the edges. Try not to open the oven at least 15 min in the beginning as it can sink the yorkies. Check after 25 min or so, the yorkies should look like golden cups, the hole Iin the middle set and yellow, the edges and the bottom browned. Depending on the temperature and the oven, it can take up to 45 min.

As for the batter, ignore all the recipes and follow a simple formula: even amounts of egg, milk and flour, pinch of salt. Roughly half an egg per nase so mix with 2 eggs should serve 4. Measure with a small cup or a measuring cup and tip it all in the bowl. Two schools about it: mix just lumps out or beat the hell out of it. I go to town with a stick blender until the mix is frothy.

Serve it with something with a lot of gravy. Roasted joint (beef, ham, chicken) and veggies is the most common way. Also good for snacking, rip pieces and dip in gravy, delish!

Sorry, got a bit carried away but I've cooked yorkies for living for over a decade now so...

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I've never just had them as a snack, but now you've tempted me ...

[–] Soku 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I wouldn't bother to make some just for nibbles but if you have a full roast in the afternoon and feel a tad peckish in the evening, then all you need is a dipping bowl of hot gravy and a few leftover Yorkshire puddings to scratch the itch.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This is almost exactly what I do and it works every time. Only slight variation I have is that I chill the batter in the fridge for at least half an hour before use. I find the easiest way to get equal amounts is to zero the blending jug on scales, add the required eggs, then the same weight of flour and milk.

[–] Soku 3 points 4 months ago

That's the thing tho, you can't use the scales for yorkies, it works by volume. Two eggs worth maybe not so much but a pint of flour weighs a lot less than pint of milk making the batter too thick and stodgy.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Thanks for this. I might give it a go next time I make a roast.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Never hurts to add an extra egg to this.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

Make sure the oil is literally smoking hot when you pour in the batter.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Crispy on the outside, soft and pull-apart on the inside. They should look like awkward muffins because they get cooked in a preheated muffin tin with hot vegetable oil in each cup before you ladle the batter in! For a first timer (and American) they can be daunting, but they're actually not too hard and delicious with gravy or butter.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

I made toad in the hole once with a Yorkshire pudding batter. I think I used the serious eats recipe. It should be crispy on the outside, and has a slightly buttery taste. It's meant to be served with meat and have gravy poured over the top.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Visited some relatives in Texas last year for Thanksgiving and we made Yorkshires to contribute - all the Americans present went wild for them, A+, but then 3 different people independently asked if you could make sweet ones... Head in hands

[–] ChocolateTeapot 6 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Nowt wrong wi' that! My Mam used to make mi' Dad Rhubarb & Custard Yorkies - he was from Huddersfield and she was from Sheffield; an you can't get more Yorkshire than that!

You don't need to have sweet batter though, just sweet fillings! Lovely!

Apart from that, have to agree with everything [email protected] says - Def delish!