Toad In The Hole Recipe | Rise Every Time | Hint Of Helen (2024)

FAQs

Why does my Yorkshire pudding not rise with toad in the hole? ›

I actually think this is pretty key to the dish. Getting your Yorkshires to rise: Toad in the Hole needs a hot dish with plenty of oil. Using a metal baking tin and adding the batter quickly is recommended.

Use a metal (or enamel-coated metal) baking tin if possible – a large, reasonably deep dish is best. Using a metal tin means the tin it will get hotter and the heat distribution will be more even. Mine is a rectangular enamel roaster, approx 31cmx25cm and 5cm deep.

If your toad in the hole is soggy, it might be due to there being too many sausages in the tin. Try to make sure they're spaced far apart from each other to allow the batter to get crisp. Also, to make sure the Yorkshire pudding rises, don't be tempted to open the oven as it's cooking.

You should preheat the lard in the oven, it should be 'very' hot. I suspect the issue with using the oil from the sausages is that you will get some water as well as the oil. This will not coat the batter and will evaporate quickly. Or the oil is not hot enough when put in the container.

Resting the batter really does result in better-risen Yorkshire puddings with an airier texture (rather than chewy). About an hour is sufficient to allow the starch molecules to swell, giving a thicker consistency, and for the gluten to relax.

Our answer. The batter in a toad in the hole should rise up but will be airy and crisp rather than spongy or cakey. The flour should be plain (all-purpose) flour and not self-raising. However it is most likely that the batter isn't quite cooking properly due to the dish.

Gordon's top tip: To make 14-16 smaller Yorkshire puddings, put 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into each hole of a deep muffin tin (each cup measuring about 7cm diameter x 2.5cm deep), then heat up as described in step 2, before pouring in the batter. Bake the Yorkshires for 12-15 minutes.

A good Yorkshire pudding batter will work in any size pan. I did most of my testing in large 6-well popover tins, but the batter works equally well in muffin tins, mini muffin tins, and in a preheated cast iron skillet or casserole dish (these large-format methods being the most traditional).

The most commonly accepted explanation for its name is that the sausages resemble toads peeking from a crevice made of crisp batter.

Serve at the table with the Toad in the hole, mashed potatoes, greens and baked beans or maybe a green salad if you're feeling a little guilty!

Can I freeze uncooked toad in the hole? ›

Can I freeze this Toad in the Hole? Yes you can!

The best way to know whether or not you have the perfect consistency is to dip a spoon into the batter and see if the batter creates a thin layer on the back of the spoon. If the batter falls off, then it's too thin and if a lot of the batter stays on the spoon, it's too thick.

Store any leftover Toad In The Hole in a lidded container in the fridge until required. (It will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.) To reheat, simply place the cold Toad In The Hole on roasting tray in an oven heated to 220C (200C fan / gas mark 7 / 425F) for 10-15 minutes or until piping hot all the way through.

Do you use plain or self-raising flour for the batter? Self-raising flour helps add air, which results in a light, crispy batter. If you only have plain flour at home, add a little baking powder to the batter.

The Yorkshire pudding tins must not be over-filled

Over-filling your Yorkshire pudding tin will lead to heavy puddings, which won't rise to lofty heights. Whether you're making individual Yorkshire puddings or a large pud to carve up, only fill the tin about a third of the way for optimum puds.

Whilst the toad in the hole is baking DO NOT open the oven door – this will result in your batter deflating. Cook the toad in the hole for about 30 minutes – check through the oven door (look through the glass if you have a glass door) and check it is browned.

A common fault that results in flat yorkshires is not having things hot enough. The oven needs to be very hot, and you need to use a metal dish with fat or oil that is hot enough to sizzle when you pour the mixture in. Get it straight into the oven and do not open the door for the duration of the cooking time.

An over-mixed batter overworks the gluten in the flour, resulting in weaker gluten structures. This makes your cake flat and destroys its fluffy texture. Fold your dry ingredients into the wet ones lightly with a spatula and do not stir too hard. Make sure you use the right amount of raising agents.