Light & Airy Popovers or Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding or popovers sound fancy but don’t have to be difficult, with a few tips yours will turn out light and airy every time.

For the holidays one year I decided to go with a standing rib roast. I was going to pair it with my standard Fluffy Dinner Rolls, but was out voted. The gang wanted Yorkshire pudding.  My mom used to make these growing up, but we called them popovers.

They are light and airy, with a cup like center that is great for gravy, or in my case butter! However, I have not been always been successful, at times they have come out flat and not tall and puffy like I remember.

So Natalie and I watched the episode on Yorkshire pudding from The Great British Bake Off and got a couple of tips from Mary Barry.  We incorporated some of these tips into our recipe. They turned out nice and tall, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Even under the pressure of Christmas dinner they turned out amazing.  I wasn’t too confident that they would work so I had a batch of yeast rolls ready in case they failed. No one was eating yeast rolls, instead we devoured the most light and airy rolls you could imagine.  

This is a great option when you’re having a big meal and want something that’s not quite as filling as a yeast roll.

Why you’ll love it

• Lighter than a dinner roll or biscuit
• Quick and easy to prepare
• A great addition to any meal
• Perfect for catching extra sauce or gravy

What Is Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding is a common British dish served with roast beef or lamb and generally served in a baking dish. However, in the States you will see it served in a muffin tin for individual servings. Instead of Yorkshire pudding, they are referred to as popovers.

Popovers are made with just eggs, milk and flour and no leavening agent. They will rise with the aid of steam. You’ll start with a crepe-like batter similar to a Dutch baby pancake. As it cooks in a very hot oven, the edges will get crispy and the steam creates a cup in the soft center.

It’s much lighter than most breads and a perfect receptacle for gravy, sauce or butter.

What you’ll need

• Eggs
• Milk – you can use any type, even skim milk.
• Flour
• Dry mustard– this adds a little flavor and helps stabilize the battter.
• Vegetable oil – you will add about a teaspoon in each muffin hole.

How to make light and airy Yorkshire pudding

Step 1

In a bowl with a spout, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and dry mustard and blend with a hand mixer until well combined. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 425º. Place 1 teaspoon oil in each hole of a 12 hole muffin tray. Place the muffin tin on the top rack in the oven and bake until the oil is hot and almost smoking.

Step 3

Remove the pan and immediately pour equal portions of batter into the muffin tins. It should be hot enough that it sizzles. Quickly return it to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until they have risen and are golden brown.

Serve immediately. They will fall a little, like a soufflé once removed from the oven creating a hole in the center for butter or gravy.

Tips for making the best Yorkshire pudding

1. Add a pinch of dry mustard to the batter.

2. Let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes before baking, longer is even better. This will make them tall, they will still rise without this step but they won’t get as tall. Some say to refrigerate it, but I haven’t found that to be successful.

3. Heat the muffin tin in a pre-heated oven with oil until it is very hot before adding the batter.

Now that I’ve got the roll part down, I may try to stuff it with things like they do in Great Britain. For now though, butter will do just fine.

FAQs

What are the differences between Popovers and Yorkshire pudding?

There is no difference between popovers and Yorkshire pudding. In Great Britain it is served in a baking dish while we typically make it in muffin pans.

Is there a special pan to bake Yorkshire pudding or popovers in?

You can make popovers in a baking dish, muffin tin or a special popover tin. I always use a standard muffin tin. Here’s a article on the best Yorkshire pudding tin.

Can you open the oven while popovers are baking?

Some people warn about opening the oven while popovers are baking. It’s not a good idea to open the oven as the heat will decrease but you will still get tall crispy puddings if you take a peak.

Should you refrigerate the batter?

The batter needs to rest for at least 30 minutes, but room temperature batter will get taller than cold batter.

What to serve with Yorkshire Pudding

This is only 3 of 10 recipes to try with Yorkshire pudding. Get even more tantalizing recipes to serve with Yorkshire pudding.

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