Yorkshire pudding, like most British puddings, is not something you’ll find in a J-E-L-L-O brand box. They’re more like a popover than anything else – bready, eggy, and delicious when soaked with gravy. I made these to go with my haggis, tatties and neeps yesterday (don’t worry, those recipes will be coming up!).
Yorkshire pudding couldn’t be easier to make – in fact, the next time you’re thinking of making dinner rolls, surprise everyone at the table with these, fresh from the oven.
You’ll need:
- 4 eggs
- An equal amount of milk to the eggs
- An equal amount of flour to the eggs
- A pinch of salt
- Oil (or lard, or duck fat)
- A muffin pan
Preheat the oven to 425F. Grease the muffin pan (I used Pam, it worked fine) and place it in the oven to heat. Whisk together the ingredients until you have a smooth batter. When the pan is sizzling hot, take it out of the oven and pour batter into the hot muffin tin, until it comes a little past halfway up the sides. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on the tops.
Serve along with meat, vegetables, and most importantly, gravy! They’re also delicious with clotted cream and jam – then again, what isn’t?
Pudding, Pudding, What’s in a name?
As my husband asked, when I told him what I was making, “Why do they call it pudding?” My reply: “Dear, they’re British. They call everything pudding.”
I wasn’t wrong, but there is more to it than that. What Americans think of as “pudding” is “custard” in Britain. Ok? That makes sense.
Now, Pudding in Britain means anything sweet or savory. It can be fluffy dinner rolls, or brandy-soaked bread desserts, or just about anything else. Christmas “pudding” is flaming fruitcake. Black “pudding” is sausage dripping with pig’s blood (and is just as disgusting as it sounds). White “pudding” is made from grains and pig fat. “Pudding” can also be used as a broad name for whatever dessert you’re serving. As usual, when you come across a part of the English language that makes no sense, it’s usually derived from the French. In this case, the French word “boudin” is believed to have started the whole “pudding” problem, and it means sausage.
There. Clear as mud?
Photo by WanderFood