Yorkshire pudding fail.

[tobee]

So I did Yorkshire Puddings with my roast beef on Sunday. I used my Jamie Oliver recipe which has always given great results. I followed the recipe to the letter. They didn't rise.

The only thing was my flour turned out to have gone out of date November 19 (yikes) but we are shielding so couldn't get fresh supply.

Am I right in thinking that the past it flour would have scuppered the Yorkshires?

I don't think I've ever checked the date on flour, and pretty sure I've used out of date flour for YPs before now.

I can honestly say too, that my YPs are different every single time.

I've had poor results with flour that's past its best and I hadn't realised until I'd checked dates.

I would imagine that’d be the problem. I’ve started using bread flour for my Yorkshire’s now and they’re amazing!

Glad it's not just me. I use the Jamie Oliver recipe. The unpredictability of my Yorkshires are a family joke.

I wouldn’t think flour would make a difference? My tips are chilling the batter overnight, using lots of oil (a good puddle in the bottom of each pan bit), and heating the oil for at least 5-10 mins before pouring in the batter. They always seem to work! 🤷🏼‍♀️

You can never make Yorkshire puddings unless you live in Yorkshire because you have to sit on T’stoop outside and whisk the Yorkshire air in.
It’s true

Lol @Hoppinggreen

Jamie Oliver has always been pretty reliable to me.

I think I'm going to have to practice making (and eating) Yorkshire Puddings for the next few weeks.

What a nightmare!

Thanks for the replies!

Bread flour? Interesting @Laila747

I'm normally good at Yorkshire puddings, but my last couple of batches have been like hockey pucks (very embarrassing as a Yorkshire woman in the midlands).

Off to check the date on my flour...

The tray and the oil in the tray has to be really hot when the batter goes in, into a really hot oven and don't open it unless you absolutely have to (I have to turn mine round when they're nearly done or one corner burns) and then only once they are well risen.

Bread flour stretches more as extra gluten content but your existing flour should have been OK.
The fat needs to be smoking hot,don't use olive oil as it doesn't get hot enough. Dripping's best but probably frowned on these days.Obviously you need a very hot oven too.
His recipe of 100 mls milk seems a bit low as it's the liquid which causes the mixture to rise via steam.
Try adding more liquid?

As pp's have said the fat has to be smoking hot (why you need dripping/lard/duck fat or a high smoke point oil - not olive oil) and the oven pre heated as high as it will go.

Assuming your doing all that then your mixture is the issue.

At this point I'm probably not going to be that helpful because don't use a recipe because I find they aren't reliable.

Some flour (even the same brand) seems to need more liquid than others. Eggs vary in size.

To make 8 Yorkshire's I start with 4 large eggs then add a heaped tablespoon of plain flour per egg. Then I add milk until the consistency is "right" starting with about a third of a pint but usually end up using half a pint or even a bit more.

I'm looking for the consistency slightly thicker than double cream. It needs to be pourable - not as thick as say a cheese sauce nor as thin as pancake batter.

My Yorkshire's have never failed me!

Trust me, in this case it's the stale flour.

I use James Martin’s recipe and it never fails. I suppose you have to trust a Yorkshireman in this case.

I put vegetable oil in my muffin tray and heated in 225 degree Celsius fan oven for 10-15 mins and then removed tray to quickly fill with batter. Popped in oven for about 10 minutes with no looking or opening of door.

@Ihopeyourcakeisshit

Trust me, in this case it's the stale flour.

I'm still thinking this.

It's so annoying because previously I've made them and they've been massive. I don't make them often because I'm a with roast beef only Puritan. I was going to use lard but ducked out last minute because I thought pouring oil would be speedier.

@magicstar1

I use James Martin’s recipe and it never fails. I suppose you have to trust a Yorkshireman in this case.

Fair point.

@DeRigueurMortis

As pp's have said the fat has to be smoking hot (why you need dripping/lard/duck fat or a high smoke point oil - not olive oil) and the oven pre heated as high as it will go.

Assuming your doing all that then your mixture is the issue.

At this point I'm probably not going to be that helpful because don't use a recipe because I find they aren't reliable.

Some flour (even the same brand) seems to need more liquid than others. Eggs vary in size.

To make 8 Yorkshire's I start with 4 large eggs then add a heaped tablespoon of plain flour per egg. Then I add milk until the consistency is "right" starting with about a third of a pint but usually end up using half a pint or even a bit more.

I'm looking for the consistency slightly thicker than double cream. It needs to be pourable - not as thick as say a cheese sauce nor as thin as pancake batter.

My Yorkshire's have never failed me!

Thanks @DeRigueurMortis

@tobee

You're welcome.

Sorry the final thing to mention is I don't heat my muffin tin with fat in it in the oven.

Rather I preheat the oven and when I'm ready to cook the Yorkshire's I whack my muffin tin with fat on the gas hob (biggest burner) until the fat is literally smoking. Then add the batter and in the oven as fast as I can.

Firstly I think this way you get the fat hotter (smoking, gas off, batter in - no time to cook) but I also think it's safer as you're not gingerly pulling a tin with hot fat out of the oven - it's more stable with the batter mix in it).

Oh and I was taught to make them by a Yorkshire woman!

She said you always start with the flour and eggs at the same volume (think of it that a heaped tbsp is roughly the same size as an egg) and then you "vary" the milk to get the right consistency.

Also most people are too timid about the fat. It has to be smoking hot - literally. It's hot enough only when you see the first wisps of smoke and I think it's hard to get it that hot in the oven - on the hob it's easier to see/control.

@DeRigueurMortis

Oooo good idea about heating the tray/fat on the hob!! Why have I never thought of that??

I now have a desperate urge to make Yorkshire puds

Why not make toad in the hole for dinner tomorrow .

Sifting your flour twice might fix the stale flour thing. Put its air back in.

Otherwise, I go with Nigella’s descriptor of “squidgy”. As mine are gf/dd, it covers a lot of sins.

If you’re using plain flour I can’t imagine what difference a date would make anyway. I do a cup of flour, a cup of milk and 4 large eggs so equal amounts of each ingredient but then I add a splash of water to thin it a little bit. Tin preheated and not too much in each hole, makes 12 and so far never failed.