Sunday, December 9, 2012

Yorkshire Pudding



The first recorded recipe was in 1737 when it was called "A Dripping Pudding."

While the main purpose of the pudding was to fill people up before the main meal, especially the kids, our main reason for eating Yorkshire Pudding is because it's delicious.

How to cook perfect Yorkshire pudding?

Yorkshire pudding is so delicious in the UK and in the Voodoo Kitchen - so much so, in fact, that we wanted to share that passion with you.



The batter is made from a very basic ingredients: flour, eggs and milk – or, for a lighter result, an equal mixture of milk and water. 

Resting the batter for at least one hour is what we do, there are those however who say resting the batter isn't necessary.
Marco Pierre White says resting "makes the batter lighter", and we agree.

Is there a secret ingredient? 
Well, there was a "Great Yorkshire Pudding Contest" held in Leeds in 1970 where Mr Tin Sung Chan of Hong Kong won. he claimed that the batter contained one secret ingredient: half a teaspoon of tai luk sauce.
Driving people crazy, people were looking for luk sauce, even asking Chinese markets, but with no success.
Instead the requests for luk sauce was met with much laughter: apparently it means "mainland", as in "mainland China". Mr Chan,  was having laugh at the expense of Yorkshire patriotism.

But if there were a secret ingredient that made him victorious it may have been the extra egg he added.

The most important thing to remember about yorkshire puddings is that the fat must be smoking hot before you begin cooking – you need a proper sizzle as batter hits dripping. 

Perfect yorkshire pudding

Makes 1 large, or 12 individual puddings

Below you'll find a Dry Ingredient Equivalents Chart

1 tablespoon - 3 teaspoons -15 ml
1/8 cup- 2 tablespoons - 30 ml
1/4 cup- 4 tablespoons - 50 ml
1/3 cup- 5-1/3 tablespoons - 75 ml
1/2 cup - 8 tablespoons - 125 ml
2/3 cup -10-2/3 tablespoons - 150 ml
3/4 cup - 12 tablespoons - 175 ml
1 cup - 16 tablespoons - 250 ml

Below Wet Ingredient Equivalents

1 cup - 8 fluid ounces - 1/2 pint
2 cups - 16 fluid ounces - 1 pint
4 cups - 32 fluid ounces - 2 pints
8 cups - 64 fluid ounces- 4 pints

Makes 1 large, or 12 individual puddings

250g plain white flour
150ml whole milk
4 free-range eggs, beaten
2 tbsp beef dripping or sunflower oil

Also for your convenience here's a CONVERSION CHART FROM FAHRENHEIT TO CELSIUS


 
1. Sift the flour into a large bowl with a generous pinch of salt. Combine the milk in a container with 150ml cold water.

2. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs. Pour in a little milk and water mixture , and then whisk together to make a smooth batter. Mix in the rest of the liquid, until you have a batter the consistency of single cream. Leave at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

3. Once the meat has come out of the oven, turn the temperature up to 230C (ensuring any potatoes that might be lurking in there aren't going to burn in the following half hour). Put a large roasting tin, or a 12-hole muffin tin, greased liberally with dripping or oil, on a high shelf and leave for 10 minutes to heat up.

4. Take the tin out of the oven, and keep warm on the hob if possible while you ladle in the batter – if it doesn't sizzle when you add the first spoonful, put the tin back into the oven until it does.

5. Put the puddings into the oven and cook for 15–20 minutes until well risen and golden. Watch the puddings near the end of the cooking time, but do not be tempted to open the door until they're bronzed, because they'll sink.


Serve with Roast Beef and acres of gravy!