Master the Classic Yorkshire Pudding
Yorkshire puddings are a staple of the classic roast dinner, but many home cooks are too intimidated to make them from scratch. Great Australian Bake Off finalist Elliot Styche is sharing his foolproof recipe, along with the simple tips he says guarantee golden, crisp and perfectly risen puddings every time.
Classic Yorkshire Puddings Recipe
Makes 2 x 12 hole standard muffin tin.
Ingredients: 4 large eggs (approx. 200ml), 130g plain flour (approx. 200ml when sifted), 200ml whole milk, 1 pinch of fine salt, 1 teaspoon of neutral oil per pudding hole (sunflower or vegetable).
Method: 1. Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add the flour and a pinch of salt. Whisk together into a smooth, thick paste, taking time to get rid of any lumps. 2. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously, until you have a smooth, silky, pourable batter. 3. Pour the batter into a jug (this makes pouring into the hot tin much easier). Cover and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour; overnight is even better and makes a genuine difference to the rise. 4. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Add 1 teaspoon of oil to each hole of your muffin tin and place the tin in the oven for at least 8 minutes until the oil is smoking hot. This step is non-negotiable. 5. Remove the tin from the oven and working quickly, pour the rested batter into each hole, filling roughly two-thirds full. 6. Return immediately to the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until puffed, deeply golden, and crisp. 7. Do not open the oven door at any point during baking. Serve immediately, or make ahead and simply reheat in the oven for around 3 minutes on 220°C.
Key Tips for Perfect Rise
Styche emphasises three critical tips. First, rest your batter for at least an hour in the fridge, but overnight is genuinely the best thing you can do. The resting time allows the gluten to relax and the starch to hydrate, giving you a better rise and a lighter pudding. Second, make sure the oil is very hot. It needs to be smoking before the batter goes in. If it isn’t sizzling on contact, your puddings will not rise properly. Third, do not open the oven door. The drop in temperature will kill the rise instantly. Trust the process.
Mini Yorkshire Pudding Canapes
Makes approximately 48 mini puddings from the same batch of base batter. Additional ingredients: 1 small teaspoon of neutral oil per hole, cranberry sauce or mustard to serve, shredded roast turkey or sliced ham to serve, fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs to garnish (optional).
Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Place your mini muffin tin in the oven to heat up. 2. Add a small half a teaspoon of oil to each hole. Return to the oven for 5 minutes until the oil is smoking hot. 3. Remove from the oven and pour the rested batter into each hole, filling just over halfway. 4. Bake for 12–15 minutes until puffed and golden. Do not open the oven door. 5. Remove from the tin and allow to cool for a few minutes. Fill each pudding with a small spoonful of cranberry sauce and a little shredded turkey. 6. Finish with a tiny sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary if using. Serve straight away.
Tips: These can be baked ahead and re-crisped in a 180°C oven for 3 minutes before filling and serving, ideal if you’re prepping for a party. Fill and garnish at the last minute so the puddings stay crisp.
The Yorkshire Pudding Plate
Serves 2. Equipment: 1 x 20–22cm low-sided round cake tin or shallow roasting tin per plate. Additional ingredients per plate: 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, sliced roast beef or chicken, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables (carrots, green beans, peas), rich gravy to pour.
Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 210°C (fan). Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into each cake tin and place in the oven to heat for at least 8–10 minutes until smoking hot. Both tins can go in together. 2. Remove from the oven and pour the batter evenly between the two tins—it should sizzle dramatically on contact. 3. Return immediately to the oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the sides have risen tall and are deeply golden. The centre will stay lower, forming a natural bowl to hold your filling. 4. Do not open the oven door during baking. 5. Have all your roast components ready and warm before the puddings come out. Remove from the tins, place on boards or large plates, fill generously with meat, vegetables, and roast potatoes, then pour over plenty of gravy at the table. Serve immediately.
Tips: Get everything ready before the puddings come out. Assembly needs to be fast—you want to serve them while they’re still crisp and steaming. Gravy goes on at the very last second, at the table. Pouring it too early will soften the base. You want that contrast of crispy pudding and rich gravy in every bite. This works beautifully with leftover roast dinner components—the pudding makes even simple leftovers feel like a proper Sunday spread.
Leftover Yorkshire Pudding Dessert
Serves as many as you have puddings. Ingredients: leftover Yorkshire puddings (standard or plate), good quality vanilla ice cream, pure maple syrup.
Method: 1. If your Yorkshire puddings have cooled, pop them back into a 180°C oven for 5 minutes to re-crisp. You want them warm and crispy, not soggy. 2. Place one or two puddings on a plate. Add a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream into the well of the pudding. 3. Pour over a good drizzle of maple syrup and serve immediately before the ice cream melts.
Tips: Use pure maple syrup, not maple-flavoured syrup—it makes a real difference. The slight saltiness of the pudding against the sweet syrup and cold ice cream is what makes this work. Don’t overthink it. Want to take it further? A drizzle of warm peanut butter alongside the maple syrup turns this into something that feels almost intentional.
