Sunday 2 February 2014

Yorkshire Pudding Day!!

Did you know since 2008 the 1st Sunday in February each year is Yorkshire Pudding Day!!


It is thought that the traditional Yorkshire Pudding first got its name in 1747 when Hannah Glasse wrote a cookery book called "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Simple" which included the Yorkshire Pudding recipe although no-one really knows how far back the original recipe goes it is safe to say that some form of "batter" or "dripping" pudding as it was previously named has been cooked for centuries.

Original Puddings:
The pudding was originally flatter than today's version and was cooked in a tin beneath the meat, which was being roasted on a spit over a fire so that it could catch all the drippings from the meat in early days this was as much out of necessity as anything else because the human body actually needs dietary fat to facilitate the absorption of certain vitamins however, as sources of fat were more difficult to obtain at the time, particularly in the North of the country, the extra drippings from the meat supplied a welcome and needed supplement.

Traditional Puddings:
The traditional Yorkshire pudding was usually made in a large tray, rather than the individual puddings that we are familiar with today it was often served with thick meat, or onion gravy before the main meal in order to fill hungry bellies so that less meat and vegetables were required for the main meal.


The traditional way of eating these delightful delicacies is with roast beef but we eat them with any big dinner! Pork, chicken, turkey or even sausages. I remember as a child after Sunday dinner my dad would make a batch and we would have them with jam & squirty cream on....Mmmm Lovely!

A 2008 ruling by the Royal Society of Chemistry states that:
"A Yorkshire pudding isn't a Yorkshire pudding if it is less than four inches tall"  


How to make Yorkshire puddings!

Ingredients:

300ml (½ pint) milk
110g (4 oz) plain flour
2 eggs
vegetable oil

Put the flour in a bowl.
Mix in the eggs and half the milk, then add the remaining milk and beat until smooth.
Put in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7.
Place a drop of oil into each section of a bun tin and put in the oven until the oil is very hot.
Beat the batter again.
Pour the batter into the tins and bake for 10-15 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.

When cooking Yorkshire Puddings there are basically five things you have to remember:

Never, ever, use self-raising flour, or any kind of raising agent or baking powder; doing so will achieve flat, soggy puddings.


Make sure the batter is of the right consistency, a little thicker then unwhipped double cream, and as smooth as possible.


Make sure you have about 3mm (1/8 inch) of very hot fat in the bottom of the tin, as the fat begins to smoke, add the batter.


Never, ever, open the oven door for the first 10 minutes of cooking time and after that, only enough to have a peek at what's happening, if you really have to, the aim is to allow the puddings to rise and go brown without them collapsing.


Enjoy them with a thick gravy, I always do! 

13 comments :

  1. Mmmm yum - I love the idea of a yorkshire with extra dripping fat! Delicious!

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  2. You've got me wishing I had a roast dinner today now!

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  3. I had no idea! Somebody mentioned Yorkshire Pudding Day to me earlier and I thought they were just bragging they were having a roast dinner while I was having a ham sarnie!

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  4. We had roast beef and yorkshires today. My fav

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  5. I did not know that! I love Yorkshire Puddings (or Batter Puddings as us southerners call them!)

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  6. OMG, I loved this when I was a kid. Love it!

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  7. hahaha - I never knew this! Could be my most favourite day after Xmas and my Birthday! LOL x

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  8. Interesting to know more about Yorkshire puds. Boy loves them and having read this I may be brave and try and make my own next time rather than rely on my Iceland ready made ones!

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  9. mmmm I love a good Yorkie Pud! Great that they have their own 'day' - very deserved!!

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  10. Love Yorkshire Puddings, sadly since we changed our oven they just don't rise as well as before.

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  11. Bollocks!!!!!! How have I missed yorkshire pudding day??? *sobs hysterically* I shall have to make up for it by having some tomorrow, any excuse midweek ;) xx

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  12. I never knew there was a Yorkshire pudding day! I did do them yesterday funnily enough, with roast beef of course. We still do a traditional sunday dinner in the winter in Canada :-)

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