Yorkshire Puddings

Ingredients

• 140 g flour
• 4 eggs
• 200 ml milk
• sunflower oil

Method

The Yorkshire pudding is an egg-cookery batter forced to rise through oven-spring — the violent expansion of steam and air trapped in the batter as the eggs set. This requires three non-negotiable conditions: a ripping-hot tin, a rested batter, and an oven door that stays closed until the structure has set.

Whisk the eggs into the flour first, then add the milk in stages while beating vigorously. This isn't fussy — the initial dry mix and gradual hydration prevent lumps from forming in the first place. Once smooth, pour into a jug, season with salt and ground pepper, then leave the batter on the counter for at least 30 minutes. This rest allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten network to relax; a thin batter that's been sitting will rise more aggressively than one that goes straight into the tin.

Pour roughly 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil into each cupcake tin slot — enough to pool slightly — and heat in a 230°C oven for 10 minutes. The oil needs to shimmer and just begin smoking; if it's merely warm, the batter will sit instead of puff. Working quickly so the tin doesn't cool, pour the batter to fill each slot three-quarters full. The hot oil will cause immediate sizzling around the edges — this is aeration in action, the fat's heat vapourising the liquid in the batter's outer layer and forcing steam upward through the structure.

Slide the tin into the oven and do not open the door for 20 minutes. Opening breaks the steam seal and collapses the rise — you'll end up with flat, greasy puddings. After 20 minutes, they should have puffed dramatically and browned at the edges. Crack the oven door for 30 seconds to release some steam, then return for a final 5–10 minutes to set the interior and deepen the colour. They're ready when they're tall, firm to the touch, and deep golden-brown.

Serve immediately. Yorkshire puddings collapse as they cool, so get them onto warm plates before the steam escapes.