Foolproof toad in the hole

[Ispatienceavirtue]

Hi
Could anyone share an idiot's guide to a fantastic Toad in the Hole? Recipe and method please and big enough to feed 8 people.
Thank you

I follow this recipe as it's the only one that I've got to rise enough. For 8 people I'd make two of these (so two metal baking tins with 8 really good quality sausages in each so each person gets 2 sausages) www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pork-recipes/toad-in-the-hole/

The key though is to get the oil truly, smoking hot - so you must use vegetable/sunflower/rapeseed/groundnut oil and definitely not olive oil. Then once you pour in the batter into the smoking spitting hot oil, you put it back in the hot oven and absolutely do not touch that oven door for 20 minutes, don't open it at all and just check through the glass.

Second using the Jamie recipe, it's really good. Having it for me tea.

I think the key is to add the "right" amount of batter. So it doesn't really matter what size tin you have, just add the batter so that it's just half way up your sausages. mmmm toad in the hole - it's going into my meal plan now!

Roast sausages and onions in a good glug of oil and hot oven (around 200c) until browned.

While they’re cooking whisk equal quantities of eggs, milk and plain flour. I use 3 eggs to feed 4/5 people. Season the batter.

When sausages are browned pour in batter to around halfway up them. Straight back in oven and turn heat down slightly. Cook for 45 mins until batter is puffed up and set in the middle. Don’t open the oven during this time!

my theory on this is not too much batter....so if you double the sausage you do not need to double the batter.

I use a roasting tin for mine which means it's very easy to get the oil smoking hot, and I use 2 eggs, 200ml milk, 50ml water, 100g flour for the batter.

Also some red onions in the bottom....do them in a separate pan until almost golden and just throw them in among the sausages before you add the batter

That recipe always give me amazing giant yorkshires, but I will admit that sometimes the Toad in the Hole is burly rather than bouffant...I don't know why. Luckily we like it either way! :o I just curse the Kitchen Gods if it doesn't work out.

How much oil are people using? We've got sauasages for tea so might turn them into to toad in the hole.

My toad in the hole is rubbish but I've started making mini-ones and that's been life-changing. Never fails - I think there's something about the small moulds that gives more heat into the centre?

Anyway. I use a muffin tin. Good quality chipolata in each one with a teaspoon of oil. Cook for 15 minutes or so at a high heat, then add the batter. Second the advice about not opening the oven door!

I use a Fay Ripley recipe, she's not very fashionable on MN these days but I use her books consistently for family food and am always pleased with the results.

DemToes I use enough to cover the whole bottom of the roasting tin with oil - for my tin that's about 3 tablespoons.

I'm not sure where I go wrong? I was told to crack 3 or 4 eggs in a cup and wherever that comes up to you use the same amount of flour and mix of milk and water. But the middle is always dense and claggy. Can't cook it any longer because the top will burn so end with this disappointing heavy mess. So thank you - I'll give some of these recipes a try! 🤞

OP imprecise measurements is where you're going wrong. Watch Jamie, look at the consistency it's supposed to be and try not to cringe too much at his lovely jubbly cheeky chappy schtick. Once you know how the batter should look/feel, pour that batter over smoking hot browned sausages and voila!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=nUvIJqhq0KQ

Look particularly at the big bowl he uses, the whisk, how much elbow grease he puts into beating the batter, and how it's completely smooth with no lumps and quite pourable and thin but still coating the back of the spoon.

Thanks for the video! I notice he doesn't use water in his mix? Well I'll give his recipe a go tonight and hopefully it will be Toad in a Hole rather than Toad in a Bog!

I'll join you in using Jamie's recipe tonight and we can compare

Ha! You are on DemToes ! 😁

Well despite heating the oil for 20 mins I got no sizzling when I added the batter

One tip I can give is not to use self raising flour, as you've run out of plain and you can't see that it would matter that much - sausage sponge cake is not that tasty!!!

I find more oil than I think I need and oven darn hot is best. Just resting my batter.

I wrap my sausages in bacon and brown in the oven and use Tanya Ramsay Yorkshire pudding recipe. I think it’s 3 eggs, 6 oz flour amd 15ml milk.

Dem was your oven up to full whack? You should have got at least some sizzle when the batter met the oil!

Oven on 220 veg oil metal pan

It was lovely and I may have eaten far too much. Off for a nap!

But how did it taste DemToes ?
Mine went down well, the kids said it was lovely and the best one I'd made! Only problem I had was not enough batter or my baking tin was too large but it rose really well and was nice and crispy - no dense sogginess!!
Thank you everyone - I will keep that recipe!

I also struggle with the batter and use half the amount of Tana Ramsey's recipe in one large tin (hers uses smaller individual tins/ramekins) although I don't often wrap the sausages in bacon lovely though that is

Oh and I must admit the oil wasn't smoking but I tried with a drop of the batter and it sizzled and bubbled straight away so I just went for it!