Yorkshire Tutorial

Okay this is totally out of character for me, making Yorkshires with no roast in sight for dinner tonight! But, Donna from Mice and Moonbeams, has requested, and I quote: "step-by-step explicit instructions" on making Yorkshires, and I'm more than happy to, Sydney thanks you too! (They are another one of her "favs.")

Some people call them Popovers but we've always called them Yorkshires, not sure why, that's just the way it is :) I've also made this in one big cast iron frying pan and had one very large Yorkshire! I only did it once, it was a "Ham Bake" recipe where, if I remember correctly, diced ham, broccoli, and some kind of sauce was dumped in the center, the whole thing was served for breakfast. It was very good but I'd rather do individual ones for the family... and dipped in gravy served with a roast is much more delicious!

I always do a double batch just because 12 isn't enough around here. On Sunday I made a bunch and sent a bagful over to Grandma's (rumor has it she was making a roast too, hey where was my invite??) Anyhow there wasn't a one left after supper, and I ate only one! I remember one time when Jevan was a bit younger, maybe two, he was eating one before supper, I thought he was taking an awfully long time to eat it because everytime I looked at him he was still munching away. Well when I went to grab them off the counter I saw they had somewhat disappeared, he had eaten 7 before supper! I thought he was eating the same one the whole time... boy did he get heck for that one! But I know the boy likes 'em :)

Anyway enough babble, here's the recipe:
I don't always use the same mixer, why? I have no idea I just grab what's handy or clean :) I'm also a bit lax on measuring things, most times I pour salt in my hand and say "that looks like enough" or glug oil from the bottle until it just feels right but I'll try to measure out here. For detailed pictures scroll down.

For a single batch:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups milk (I use skim but you'll get higher ones if you use whole or even 2%)
The flour always matches the milk for measuring.
About one teaspoon of salt
3 eggs (I use extra large from my chicken coop)
About 3 good tablespoons of oil (I glug here so it's hard to tell)
6 teaspoons of oil for cups (divided)

I cook in a convection oven, but a regular oven would work just fine, you might just have to keep it a bit hotter for a bit longer. If your Yorkshires aren't rising or look like they are starting to fall, turn the oven back up 25-50 degrees and they will still be okay. Don't be scared to adjust your oven temperature, your oven may be totally different than mine.

Combine first five ingredients in a blender. Whirl at highest setting. Mix again... let it sit until your roast is out of the oven and mix again.... Yes you want to mix it again. Getting as much air into it is the key to having nice HIGH Yorkshires! Sometimes I use a Bamix, one of those Braun like things with the air disk on it, I've tried a Kitchen Aid mixer and it did not work well at all, even with the whisk attachment. If you use a Bamix, mix everything in a juice jug and it will make for easier pouring. For these instructions I used my Kitchen Aid Blender.
Grab your pan. I use mini Yorkshire pans but before I got those I used to use muffin tins. I have never washed my pans. Once in a blue, blue, moon I will fire them in the oven on a self-clean but this is so rare that I remember when I did it to my muffin tins and discovered there was writing etched into them... who would've known? These pans belonged to my Mom and I have had them for over 25 years, Lord knows how long she had them! But they have been retired for my minis now :) I store them in paper grocery bags so what little oil is left is absorbed. It's been this way for years and we haven't died from anything so it must work :)
Fill your cups up with a 1/2 teaspoon of oil; canola or something that can handle heat, NOT olive oil! Put them in the oven and crank it up to 450 degrees. Go hit the "snooze" button on your smoke detector because mine goes off every single time... get those babies smokin'!, about 5-10 minutes. Now give your mixture another good whirl in the blender. After your oil is smoking, pour the mixture into the hot muffin cups, almost to the brim but not quite. Try to do this quickly. Close the oven door, set the timer for 15 minutes. When that goes off turn the oven down to 400 for 10 minutes. (They could be pretty much done after that). If not, turn it down to 350 or 300 for another ten minutes or so... keep checking them, they could be done anytime after the first 10 minute countdown. You can then turn the oven off and just let them sit in there until you get everything else done or remove them immediately. I seldom do the same times and temperatures each time I make them, even having two pans in the oven can make a difference. The batch in the pictures is a little overdone for me but it's hard when you have to think about it, if you make them often enough you'll just know when to turn the oven down and for how long :)
If you get less than twelve, next time increase your eggs to 4, or egg size, or put a splash more milk in.

Here's everything in more detail:


Use a Blender or a Bamix. Do not use beaters.


Use 3 extra large eggs, or 4 large.


Combine eggs, 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons oil.


Use highest setting on your blender.


After the first whirl scrape sides of blender and whirl again. All those air bubbles are a good thing. You'll whirl a few more times, and then a final time just before filling the cups.


Set your oven at 450 degrees F.


Grab that Yorkshire pan or if you don't have one use a plain muffin tin. (Okay I sort of cleaned up my pans a bit just for the pictures).


Fill each cup with 1/2 teaspoon of oil, do NOT use olive oil! Pop your pan in the oven and get oil smoking hot. Now is a good time to hit the snooze button on your kitchen smoke alarm.


When oil is smoking, fill each cup almost full.


Here's what mine looked like after 12 minutes:


You will get even higher results if using 2% or whole milk. I've had them rise right out of the pan and continue to cook while laying sideways on my oven racks!


Turn your oven down to 400 for 10 minutes.


I should have taken them out at this point...


... but I didn't and I reduced the temperature to 350 F for another ten minutes. They were a bit overdone for my tastes.


The final result. You can poke them with a knife to allow steam to escape or leave them, depending on your mood :) I like to pull them out of the pans immediately and set them in a metal bowl.


These were made back in June of last year. Grandma (MIL) is a Ladies Auxiliary Member and sort of, kind of, pretty much, "volunteered me" to make Yorkshires for a Legion due. In a twenty-four hour period I made just over a hundred of them! (Do you remember Mom? She was up visiting). I only had one Yorkshire pan at the time but have since bought another one... bring it on Grandma! I'm set now :)

Some of these are a bit flat and I quickly learned when you pile this many up at one time for transporting them, it's best to overcook them just a smidge so they don't squish themselves in the box. (Lesson learned) But for eating at home we like them spongy and fluffy so we can stuff leftover roast in them the next day, that is, if you have any left. Don't worry about them being a bit dry if you have to transport them, people dip them in gravy and that softens them up pretty good.

Whew, I didn't think it would take so much time to put together a tutorial! I guess it's easier if you have exact measurements, temperatures, and times :) If you think this tutorial is okay, right on! or smokin' great! do you have suggestions for a future tutorial? And if you thought it was a thumbs down (I think I'm gonna cry), do you have suggestions for improvements?