A chef’s guide to perfect Yorkshire puds
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As a staple of the classic Sunday roast, Yorkshire Puddings are worth putting in the effort to get right!
Yorkshire Puddings are a classic British food celebrated for their taste and versatility. A true everyday favourite, 2000 Brits surveyed in 2023ii ranked the Yorkshire pudding as the nation’s top regional delicacy, beating the Bakewell tart and the Whitby scotch egg. And to answer the argument we all seem to have at least once a year, a 2022 surveyiii found that an overwhelming 3 in 4 (77%) Brits agreed that Yorkshire puddings should be included in Christmas dinner.
For all their popularity though, Yorkshire puddings are tricky to get right, with more than 200,000 people searching Google for Yorkshire pudding recipes every month. That’s why Sophie Nahmad, chef at recipe box provider Gousto, is sharing her top tips for cooking the perfect Yorkshire puddings for your Sunday lunch.
Rest the batter
“Leave the batter to rest overnight,” says Sophie. “Resting batter will help your Yorkshire puddings rise taller when they’re cooked. Letting it rest overnight in the fridge is best for a perfect rise, but you can let batter rest for 30 minutes at room temperature in a pinch.”
Make sure the oil or fat is hot
“Hot oil or fat is a must!” Sophie shares. “If your oil is too cold, it can soak into the batter as it cooks and leave you with soggy-bottomed puddings – and no one wants that! Whatever oil or fat you use, making sure it’s hot enough will stop it from being absorbed by the batter and result in nice crispy pudding bases.”
Use a jug for perfect pouring
“A bowl is the go-to for mixing and resting your batter,” says Sophie. “But for pouring out the batter, a jug is the best tool for the job. Using a jug gives you a lot more control when pouring batter into your muffin tin, so you can get an even pour into each one and end up with Yorkshire puds of a similar size when you’re done.”
Bake the bottoms
“This extra step is a great option if you’re using a muffin tray for your Yorkshire puddings,” Sophie shares. “To make sure you get a crispy bottom, turn out your puds and pop them back in the oven upside down for a couple more minutes. This will firm up the bases and give your puddings a perfect finishing touch.”
Yorkshire puddings just aren’t reserved for big Sunday dinners though. Sophie also shares a couple of her favourite recipes from the Gousto Cookbook using Yorkshire puddings for any day of the week.
