A Yorkshire pudding is a food staple as old as time, a classic companion to a traditional British roast dinner, and yet there’s something new you can do to make it all the better. The tasty dish is likely to have existed as far back as the mid-18th century, made up of some of the simplest ingredients. Thanks to this, it’s almost impossible to mess up the cooking process; no matter if you overdo some ingredients and underdo others, it will still rise and turn light and crispy.
However, there’s certainly one rule, as recommended by this particular recipe and backed by world-renowned chefs, that creates the most light and crispy results. A Yorkshireman himself and famed chef, Marco Pierre White advises letting your batter rest before baking for a minimum of an hour.
This cook tried and tested the theory, and it seems to be the most successful, after they cooked two batches of puddings side by side. One side was made up of carefully cooled batter, while the other was not rested at all, and you could see how much more the older batter rose and crisped up.
The cooking enthusiast beamed about their results stating: “Resting your batter is the single most important step you can take to improve Yorkshire pudding and popovers. Not only do they come out taller, but they also come out much tastier, with a more complex, tasty flavour.”
They went on to explain that by not following this step, the puddings tend to come out tasting and looking positively flat in comparison to the rested-batter results. Not to mention, giving your batter time to rest can also play a big part in the interior texture of your pudding.
A pudding that has been baked after its mixture has had an overnight rest tends to have a much more stretchy texture with larger bubbles inside. This makes it ideal for holding gravy and any other dips better without sogging too quickly. The overall results suggest that leaving it as long as overnight will offer the tastier pudding.
Other quick tips recommended by the Serious Eats recipe include starting with a well-heated pan that helps to maximise the initial energy transfer to the batter and should prevent any potential sticking. On top of this, they suggest adding a small amount of water to the milk; it enhances the hydration of the batter and so gives the ultimate puffiness without losing its shape.
Another way to enhance the flavour and crisp could be to use beef fat or a similar saturated fat. They suggest that the fat composition works to influence not just the texture but also the flavour and achieves a much better exterior.