Alexander Smith
Hi there,
One of my favorite authors is Darlene Foster, http://www.darlenefoster.wordpress.com. Her delightful series of Amanda books are a must read. Amanda has all the spunk and sense of adventure that my fictional heroines had when I was growing up.
Darlene is sharing with us today another one of her delightful stories and delicious recipes.
Darlene Foster Yorkshire Pudding
I am German-Canadian, my husband is British, and we live in Spain. So our Christmas dinners can be quite eclectic. Yorkshire puddings were not served in my home growing up, but they are a favorite of my Yorkshire-born hubby. So I always include them in my Christmas dinner menu. They are easy but can be tricky; sometimes they turn out great, light and fluffy, and other times not so much. I recall one Christmas in Calgary when I was hosting Christmas dinner for 14, my family, my girlfriend and her daughter. Things were going well until that frantic last few minutes when the turkey was ready to be carved, the potatoes needed to be mashed, the gravy stirred, and the Yorkshire puddings cooked. I ended up with too many dishes needing the oven, all at different temperatures. To make a long story short, I burnt the Yorkshire puddings. I was so upset hubby found me outside, in tears, throwing them away. They looked like discarded hockey pucks lying in the snow.
Everyone loved the meal, and no one even noticed the missing item, until my girlfriend said, “This is all so delicious, but where are your amazing Yorkshire puddings?” Hubby shook his head and mouthed, Don’t ask. I replied, “They’re outside in the snow, help yourself!”
It took me a long time to find a fail-proof recipe, but this one has never let me down. I found it in one of mom’s cookbooks I inherited called “Hilda Town & Country Ladies Club 50th Anniversary Cookbook”. These small-town cookbooks are wonderful as everyone who contributes always provides their best tried and true recipe.
Never Fail Yorkshire Pudding by Lorraine Mauch
Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C)
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 unbeaten eggs (room temperature)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
Grease muffin tins and heat in the oven (the bottom of each should have a thin layer of fat or oil)
Put all ingredients except eggs in a mixing bowl
Beat until mixture is smooth
Add 1 egg at a time and whisk after each egg until well mixed
Pour into hot muffin tins filling 1/2 full
Bake for 15 minutes
Then turn the oven down to 350F (180C) and bake for another 20 – 30 minutes (be careful not to burn them)
Serve hot out of the oven with gravy
Note: Do not open the oven during baking.
Wishing everyone Happy Holidays and Happy Eating!
—
Darlene Foster
https://darlenefoster.wordpress.com
Well, on Darlene’s recommendation, I may even try making Yorkshire Pudding. I must admit that anything that requires rising in the oven is very intimidating to me, but I trust Darlene. Thank you, Darlene, for providing this wonderful story and recipe.
59 responses to “DARLENE’S TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS RECIPE”
These Yorkshire puddings look fabulous! Thank you, Darlene, for this beautiful recipe!
GM Angie, I am sure they are as delicious as they look.
Thank you so much for sharing my Christmas story and recipe. I had a laugh remembering that Christmas dinner. And thanks for including the Alexander McCall Smith quote, he is one of my favourites and I had the pleasure of meeting him once. A charming fellow and very funny. Have a great day!
You are most welcome Darlene. Always a pleasure being with you even if it is virtual.
Yorkshire puddings always make folks happy! This definitely looks like a winner recipe.
Have you ever made it Dorothy. I’m afraid the thought brings out the cowardly lion in me.
Oh, they are easy! Little popovers, the kids call them, and they love popovers. The two tricks are have the tin really hot and don’t overfill them. Learned this, interestingly enough, from an elderly British lady named Hilda! Her favorite thing to cook was a prime roast, first four ribs only, and Yorkshire puddings cooked in the fat while the meat rested.
This was a fun story! I’m glad to know that the challenge of pulling together every detail of an elaborate meal is universal. As a bread maker, I am sorry to admit that I never have warm dinner rolls on the holiday table either. Timing the delicate things is so tough to do when everything else demands the oven. Anyway, those Yorkshire puddings deserve to be the star of the show! Darlene could build her meal around them and it would be just lovely. 🙂
Thanks so much. Sometimes, when there is just hubby and myself, I do make the Yorkshire puddings the main part of the meal. We both love them!
You are sooo right Terrie. It is always a challenge to get food for a dinner party to the table at the right temperature.
Indeed. That’s why I keep guests busy with fun cocktails, so they won’t notice what goes wrong with the meal! 😉
Hi Bernadette, this looks like a good recipe. I had a complete disasters with Yorkshire puddings once. I put to much oil in the pans and it boiled over in the gas oven. Black smoke billowed out of the oven and I nearly had a heart attack as I thought it would catch fire.
I can see that happening! Scary.
Hi Roberta, I would give a medal of bravery to even try to make Yorkshire puddings. I have been a complete coward in that direction.
😊
😀
How wonderful! I’ve never attempted to make Yorkshire Pudding, but you make it look easy. 🥳
Oh, I love what you said to your girlfriend when she asked about the Yorkshire pudding.
I love Yorkshire pudding with roast beef but haven’t made it for years!
Happy holidays, Darlene, to you and your family! <3
Thanks, Carol. Yorkshire puddings are traditionally served with roast beef or pork but they go very nice with turkey too.
Are Yorkshire Puddings the same as popovers?
Yes, Liz, they are very similar. I associate popovers with a sweet filling like jam whereas Yorkshire puddings are usually filled with something savoury like gravy or minced beef.
When I made popovers, I ate them plain.
As I read your recipe, I noticed the warning: “Do not open your oven during baking.” Such a temptation, but I know that’s what oven lights are for. Hahaha! 😀
I am right with you about opening that door Marian. It is such a temptation.
Fantastic recipe Darlene and I am quite partial to them too…thanks for sharing. x
i love community cookbooks! and old cookbooks in general. always full of great family recipes. I was making a meat pie yesterday and almost threw it away thinking it was a disaster but turned out to be very tasty. Lucky I kept it :=)
I also like those local cookbooks. When I travel, I always try to buy one from the region I am visiting.
Yorkshires are a given with any roast I make and I too have had my share of disasters… More here I will add-smile-and a fail proof yorkshire recipe is a keeper although I must admit I never measure just eyeball the batter… Yours look delicious, Darlene x
Carol, I admire your bravery in making these finicky little muffins with out the precision of a recipe.
I have made them for so many years, Bern that its one of those things that you don’t need a recipe for you must have those dishes where you just chuck in the ingredients and throw in the oven do you not?
I love Yorkshire puddings, but mine never turn out light and flaky. I’m going to try Darlene’s recipe. It’s close to mine, but with a couple of differences.
I love them also but the thought of making them scares me.
Yum!!!
Thanks, Sue.
I enjoyed Darlene’s story. We can laugh along because we can all commiserate in our own cooking disasters. Being able to look back and laugh at ourselves is a sign of a good sense of humor.
You are so right Pete.
If nothing went wrong, we’d have nothing to laugh about later.
We have all been in Diane’s position. I have more than one holiday disaster in my history, I can assure you. I think of Yorkshire pudding as made with meat drippings in a big pan, which I have never done though would love to try, and what you’ve described, the individual ones, as popovers, which I make several times a year as a special treat. In US cookbooks, that is typically what I have read. But there are so many regional variables in how these iconic foods are made and described!
Made in muffin tins, which I do, they are very similar to popovers. You are right, recipes often change from region to region.
Either way, you’ve whetted my appetite for them. My worst holiday disaster was a Christmas Eve sink clog. My expert baker cousin called yesterday to report a massive cookie dough fail! It happens!
A nice classic!
I bought a pop over pan and still haven’t used it! Thank you for the recipe.
Hmm, sounds like you have a project in your future.
Have fun trying these and good luck.
I love Yorkshire puddings! And all the Christmas accompaniments Darlene. Nice recipe to share for the festive season. 🙂
Thanks, Marje. I know not everyone makes them for Christmas but it is a special treat for us.
Hi Darlene. It’s a great idea. I’m tempted! <3
I have never tried to make Yorkshire puddings but these definitely looks yummy!
GM Ribana, I am so happy to run into someone besides me who hasn’t made one. Have a great weekend.
Never too late to try. xo
Hi, Darlene – I loved your reply about anyone helping themselves to the Yorkshire Puddings in the snow. The ability to laugh with each other is the best ability of all!
Wonderful recipe Darlene and I do love a good Yorkshire Pudding.. and thank you Bernadette for hosting.
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and have a wonderful week.
I’ve never had Yorkshire pudding! I think we can all relate to a last minute disaster in the kitchen 🙂
Just had a major one the other day. All part of the learning process, right?
My mother likes them (she tried them several times when she visited me in the UK) but I haven’t tried cooking them here. Thanks, Darlene, and thanks Bernadette!
Thanks so much for taking the time to read Darlene’s story. Have a wonderful week.
Another recipe I have never made or tried, thank you for sharing your recipe!
What a yummy recipe. You should come to Australia – we don’t tend to have Yorkshire pudding here.