Proper Yorkshire Pudding

Traditional starter, served with Roast Beef, but in Yorkshire it is served with all roast meats on a Sunday.The recipe is sufficient to make 12 puddings in patty tins, or two large ones using 7" cake tins. It has come down my family for generations - being a Yorkshire woman I have always found it very successful. (The reason we serve it first but still call it pudding? During the Civil War in the 1600s, Yorkshire men who were Cavaliers (on the Kings side) were about to eat their Sunday dinner. Some Roundheads (the Parliamentarians) burst into their dining hall, and seeing the puddings were ready, and the Cavaliers were all eating, decided they were hungry and ate the puddings. Since then, Yorkshiremen (and women!) have always made sure of getting their pudding by eating it first before their meat course. The moral of the story is, don't mess with the Yorkshire folk, they never forget who stole their pudding). A variation of this recipe is to add some mixed herbs to the batter if you want something a little more savoury.

• Ready In: 21 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 12 puddings

Ingredients

• 1  cup plain flour
• 1  large egg (preferably room temperature)
• 1  cup cold water
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  teaspoon  approx  fat from meat (sufficient to cover the base of each patty tin, but not more than a teaspoonful in each hole) or 1  teaspoon  oil (sufficient to cover the base of each patty tin, but not more than a teaspoonful in each hole) or 1  teaspoon  melted  lard (sufficient to cover the base of each patty tin, but not more than a teaspoonful in each hole)

Directions

1. Put all ingredients (except the meat fat) in a large bowl and beat very thoroughly with electric whisk until a fairly thin batter is made.
2. Put the meat fat or any other oil or fat you like to use, into patty tins (or loaf tins if making large Yorkshires).
3. Heat in a very hot oven (450 degrees) until it smokes.
4. Pour in the batter, return to the very hot oven and bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes- until well risen.
5. A proper Yorkshire pudding has a top and a bottom and no middle!
6. It can be served the traditional way, with gravy before the main meal, or after the meal with syrup (golden or maple!).
7. Time to make approx 20- 25 minutes.
8. Large Yorkshires are delicious served filled with meat& Gravy and veg, or just sausages and a rich onion gravy.