Yorkshire puddings must rise four inches or higher, rule the chemists
Posted by Jon on Wed 12 Nov 2008Categories: Food , RSC in the media | [40] Comments
EDIT: We have had extreme demand for a more “accurate” recipe, including measurements of ingredients. A very fair point! Rest assured we are working on it and will provide a definitive version of the recipe shortly.
EDIT 2: The amended recipe is now included in this post.
EDIT the third!: to complete the chemistry-perfected roast dinner, you could check out chemically-perfect gravy
The RSC made the bold proclaimation today that Yorkshire puddings simply aren’t up to scratch unless they rise to four inches or higher.
With the collaboration of Dr John Emsley – chemist, RSC author, and proud Yorkshireman – the RSC established that the perfect Yorkshire stands at just over four inches, with a light, fluffy texture and crisp exterior.
An RSC-approved Yorkshire pudding, standing tall, risen and proud
It all started with a chap called Ian Lyness, who called the RSC to complain about his lack of Yorkshire success in Boulder, Colorado. “Is it the pressure difference?” he asked us. An investigation is under way.
Incisive science writer and Twitter giant David Bradley told us the American equivalent for the famous Northern stomach-filler is a “popover“. Curious.
This is just the beginning for the RSC in the kitchen. 2009 will see the RSC focus its energies on a food theme, a year-long campaign with food-related events and exhibitions to highlight the importance of chemistry in food.
If you’ve been having trouble with this savoury delight, try the experts’ recipe below.
The Royal Society of Chemistry Yorkshire Pudding
Ingredients
85 g polysaccharide powder, kitchen grade (flour)
1 g sodium chloride, NaCl, table grade (salt)
1 egg
Solution of 230 cm3 reduced-lipid bovine lactate (milk), 20 cm3 H2O (water)
Method
Put flour in a bowl, make a well in the middle, add the egg, stir until the two are combined then start gradually adding the milk and water combining as you go.
Add the liquid until the batter is a smooth and thin consistency.
Stir in half teaspoon of salt and leave to stand for 10 minutes
Put beef dripping into Yorkshire pudding tins or into one large tin but don’t use too much fat.
Put into hot oven until the fat starts to smoke.
Give the batter a final stir and pour into the tin or tins.
Place in hot oven until well risen – should take 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve
Always serve as a separate course before the main meal and use the best gravy made from the juices of the roast joint. Yorkshire housewives served Yorkshire pudding before the meal so that they would eat less of the more expensive main course.
NB: When the batter is made it must not be placed in the fridge but be kept at room temperature.
Thu 13 Nov 2008 at 12:21
Thank you. I will be trying this for Sunday Lunch.
Thu 13 Nov 2008 at 14:40
Me too
Thu 13 Nov 2008 at 14:40
mmmmm, cant wait
Thu 13 Nov 2008 at 14:43
im thinking beef this sunday? anybody have any recipe suggestions they wish to share?
regards
Thu 13 Nov 2008 at 14:55
Michael, come round to mine on Sunday, I will cook.
Thu 13 Nov 2008 at 15:04
just dont refrigerate the batter, whatever you do!
“what kind of foolish act would that be?”
Thu 13 Nov 2008 at 19:09
I’ve found this blog via the Yorkshire Pudding story on the Guardian website.
I am a Yorkshire lass living in Calgary (1048 m above sea level) who, until recently, experienced problems getting my Yorkshires to rise. Through a plea on my blog and subsequent help from a fellow geologist, we surmised that this “failure to rise” problem could, in part, be linked to the ideal gas law (PV=nRT). Specifically the inverse relationship between P and V; a decrease in air pressure requires an increase in volume. Neither of us know anything about organic chemistry so we stuck to what we do know.
After a bit of experimental cookery I found a solution: I add an extra egg to Delia Smith’s YP recipe (see Delia Online). Not knowing anything about organic chemistry, it is difficult to know if we came by this solution for the right reasons, however, at high altitude a single egg in the batter just doesn’t seem to be enough to make Yorkshire Puddings rise. I’d love to hear the full explanation if anyone knows it.
Ian, I hope that this helps!
Thu 13 Nov 2008 at 19:14
My Mother-in-Law says thanks for the tips. I told her having a chemist in the family would come in useful eventually!
Fri 14 Nov 2008 at 15:26
I am a Yorkshire lass living in Chamonix Mt Blanc – altitude 1042. I use Jamie Oliver’s recipe and they always rise nicely. He uses 3 eggs in his which supports Michelle’s theory of needing another egg.
Fri 14 Nov 2008 at 15:43
Thanks to all, especially Michelle and Beverley for their informed comments!
It appears we have consensus (of 2) that an extra egg helps the batter rise at higher altitudes – any chemists out there care to offer an explanation?
Fri 14 Nov 2008 at 16:54
You have not included the temperature at which the oven should be when one puts in the Yorkshire pudding. This is usually important in cooking, any chance people use different temperatures and cooking times?
Fri 14 Nov 2008 at 22:01
I´m a bit disappointed at the unscientific instructions in the published recipe. After all, it is the RSC…
1) Please give the required dimensions of the tins – area and height.
2) “a hot oven” I don´t mind if you want to express it in ºF – I know how to convert – but please define “hot” in terms of temperature scale.
Apart from that, thanks for this important contribution to the quality of life…
Fri 14 Nov 2008 at 22:17
If the ingredients are warm they will not react the same way as if they have rested in the refrigerator.
This means use “iced water” if not refrigerating during the rest period.
Fri 14 Nov 2008 at 23:56
I’m a New Zealander who lives in Colorado, at 8000′, so roughly 2500′ higher than Boulder. I recently cooked my first Yorkshire pud and it came out perfectly, and at least 4″ high. I followed this recipe: http://www.recipezaar.com/Yorkshire-Pudding-744
Sat 15 Nov 2008 at 00:20
Regarding my above post, note just one egg. The only thing that I can think might matter, I left the batter sitting at room temp. for about two hours. Good luck!
Sat 15 Nov 2008 at 00:24
Sorry for the multiple posts, I just realised what I actually did – Halved the recipe, which meant 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of flour, and 1/2 cup of milk. That’s all, folks!
Sun 16 Nov 2008 at 09:56
I have been tinkering with the variables for the perfect yorkshire pudding for 2-3 years now. I am not a chemist but a pharmacist and therefore have tried to approach this in a methodical and scientific manner. I have made the following observations:
The most important factor in terms of degree of rise is quantity of egg.
Small changes to the milk and flour ratio do not seem to be important.
I have tried the same recipe refrigerated prior to cooking, from room temperature, and even from frozen. All work ok
I have not found that the oil needs to be smoking hot. It does seems that very hot oil gives you a fast rise and prevents the puddings from sticking to the tin but a fast rise can also lead to a misshapen pudding. If you want a perfect shape then I would recommend a slighly cooler oil. What I usually do is heat the oil to oven temperature then let it stand for a minute before pouring the batter. If the batter fizzes then you are more likely to get an uneven rise.
I always make small individual puddings so cannot confirm if these comments also apply to large single puddings. One thing I have found is that if I make 8 small puddings (I use a multi-compartment muffin tin) then there can still be considerable variation between individual puddings. I have considered if this is related to the process of pouring (between the first and the last of the 8 the oil will have reduced in temperature slightly)or due to variations in temperature within the oven. I have not yet reached any conclusion. I do believe that oven temperature can be important and I have found that within a domestic oven there are large variations between when the thermostat cuts out and when it cuts in again. Where the oven is in this cycle when the puddings are put into the oven could make a dirrence. If anyone is interested my own (rival) recipe is:
1 medium egg
70ml plain flour
50ml whole milk
salt to taste
Oven temp 200 centigrade (180 Fan)
Oil (not olive oil)
Cook for 15-20minutes
One thing is definitely true. Never open the oven door until at least 15 minutes have passed.
PS. I am not from yorkshire but my wife is from Barnsley and I studied in Bradford. I am certainly however a pudding ‘Nerd’
Mon 17 Nov 2008 at 16:24
What a pitty that with great authority one is told to use 1 egg! 4oz plain flour to 2 eggs essential. also 220c preheated oven.It definately will take 30 minutes minimum if all in one dish.
Tue 18 Nov 2008 at 14:28
This has inspired me to get a roast on and make my first Yorkshire puddings. I only hope I can rise to the challenge!
Fri 21 Nov 2008 at 08:45
The secret to good yorkshire puddings is to make the mixture while your wife is a church on Sunday morning, then go to the pub at noon have a few beers (real ale hand pumped) come home by which time the wife will have them along with all the rest, sit down eat them at the same time enjoying a nice bottle of red, help load the diswasher, stretch out on the sofa and wake up when songs of praise has finished.
ps we always have yorkshire puddings as a starter as well as with meat and veg.
Fri 21 Nov 2008 at 08:46
Temperatures in ‘centigrade’? Please, let’s get it correct – Celsius.
Fri 21 Nov 2008 at 09:54
Try St Delia’s recipe with the following amendments:
Only use semi skimmed milk — 6 oz no water
Add a handful of mixed herbs and dried onions
Leave to stand in batter mix for about 20 mins
Cook as above
And it also requires a glass of C2H5OH to improve the ambiance whilst preparing the batter mix!
Cooking is about experimentation
Recipes are merely guidance
Don’t impose ISO 17025 in the kitchen – !!!
Fri 21 Nov 2008 at 10:28
My mothers recipe for Yorkshires (she was born in London and has never lived in Yorkshire) is;
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
1 large egg
Salt if you like
Water to make a single cream consistancy
Put the flour in a bowl with a hollow in the middle. Break an egg into the hollow. Carefully, using a fork, stir the egg incorporating the flour slowly to make a smooth batter. Add water a little at a time to a cream consistancy. Grease a muffin tin with butter paper, put in the oven to get hot, then add the mixture using a spoon. Cook for about 20 mins.
I know by chemical standards this is very inexact, but real cooking every day, the sort we mere women have to do, is not so precise. This is because of variations in oven temperature, differences in the absorbancy of the flour you are using that day etc. I assure you that when doing chemistry, I am precise.
My Yorkshire puddings to this recipe rise when we are alone, but rarely do when we have visitors.
Being a Southerner, we serve our Yorkshires with the roast.
Fri 21 Nov 2008 at 10:50
Do Yorkshire Puddings differ in quality if they are made in that other place on the other side of the Pennines?
Fri 21 Nov 2008 at 11:13
The Traditional way to eat Yorkshire pudding is as a starter with gravy.
One point no one seems to mention is that the batter should be beaten not just stirred. In fact the best batter is beaten with a metal spoon until it ‘plops’ whilst being beaten. I assume that this puts some air into the mix and helps the rising.
Fri 21 Nov 2008 at 11:36
There is a lack of precision here. What temperature constitutes a “hot” oven.
Fri 21 Nov 2008 at 16:23
I will try this, but have you tried to make Yorkshire puddings with gluten free flour? If so, what is the secret for getting them to rise?
Sun 23 Nov 2008 at 18:45
As a chemist and fellow Yorkshireman I would add the following advice.
1]Hot means as hot as your oven will go.
2]I would always leave the mixture for at least an hour preferably longer before cooking.
3]Never ever be tempted to use self raising flour.
4]The thinness of the batter can be an issue. The ideal consistency is when a trail can be seen when the batter is poured from a spoon into the bowl. If the trace cannot be seen its too thin.
5]I would use less milk. Add the egg add enough milk to make the initial smooth mixture and then dilute to the correct consistency with water.
If you take your roast out to ‘rest’ (as you should)Ramp up the oven to full blast and the pudding will cook in time to start the meal.
Mon 24 Nov 2008 at 10:28
The other factors I suspect are important in this are the freshness of the eggs and the flour used. Fresh eggs always give a better lift to any product. North American household flour is the nearest equivalent to British plain flour but because of wheat variety and climate they are different. if anyone wants to look up flour chemistry they could try the RSC’s “The Science of Bakery” which I wrote.
Mon 24 Nov 2008 at 10:51
As a Yorshireman born and bread, the success of a Yorkie depends on a skill that my father swore by. In my family my Dad made the best puddings. As a teenage lad, I asked him what his secret was and he said “it’s the way you hold your mouth”. To this day I do not know what he meant.
However, these days my Yorkshire puddings are fine, I suppose it is genetic or an age thing!
Mon 24 Nov 2008 at 12:02
Important factors include the initial temperature and therefore the mass and size of the vessel as well as the cooking temperature.
Rapid transfer of mixture to cooking vessel can go some way towards offsetting the mass/size consideration … and explaining variability.
The rate of heat transfer to the mixture is important. It is not difficult to imagine that carbohydrates, proteins and phosholipids split, a host of Amidori and Maillard reactions ensue releasing byproducts (steam and CO2) essential to the foaming process and the taste.
Observe how, where mass and heat transfer is concentrated …at the edges … the crust foams and rises above the centre.
Baked in a fan oven there is a more even distribution of heat and more “rising” is apparent in the middle.
Small puddings (which I can’t really consider a Yorkshire pudding at all after years of weekly arguments with my grandfather over who has the biggest one) rise more per unit mass of batter.
Born into an nth generation Yorkshire family, I had Yorkshire pudding every Sunday until I left home at 18.
My German (biochemist) wife is a superb cook. I am only chemist that plays with food professionally. Uschi had a hard week so I cooked yesterday.
Without reference to this article,I made a successful pudding using 160g of plain flour, a 65g, 3 day fresh egg and 250 cm3 of 0% fat milk. I beat it with a fork, because it saves washing up and I had the time.
I left it to stand for 20 minutes before putting it into a preheated to 183°C 15×25 cm pyrex dish weighing 800g containing 15cm3 Extra Virgin Olive oil, which, at this temperature, was just starting to vapourise with a little pyrolysis. (it was just starting to smoke!). Cooking time 25 minutes. La Chapelle des Fougeretz is about 100M asl and its being in France may have a little influence.
The best gravies include stew (which we had), chicken and turkey but a good, quick substitute can be made from a finely chopped 80g onion fried to caramelisation point in olive oil… just honey brown … then 20g plain flour dispersed in together with an Oxo cube, 5g salt and 400 cm3 boiling water. Stir well whist bringing to the boil and then filter the mixture through a sieve. Adding the flour to the onion mixture stops clumping.
Tradition indicates that Olive oil should not be used. The oil must be fresh.
Traditionally the batter was poured around the still roasting meat in the end phase.
Mon 24 Nov 2008 at 22:39
Yorkshire is a big county,and just as there are many varieties of wine, I am sure that there are many variants of yorkshire pudding.For my own early experience in Leeds in the 1940’s our mother made Yorkshire pudding in the old Yorkist range oven which was conjoined to the open fire.And this method would have been passed down from her mother.To get a completely consistent product under such conditions would have been difficult.But to go back in time, as one must do to find the truer origins of Yokshire pudding,this needs to be done.I’m a bit surprised that nobody has yet mentioned ‘Yorkshire’spread with jam {butter optional]as a sweet course after a Sunday lunch,-best whilst still warm.It was certainly a favourite with us kids.The gravy option was also being used.Our ‘Yorkshire’ was typically fairly flat with some bubbly features,and made in a big square tin to be cut into squares after cooking.
On ‘bad’ days the upper edges around the perimeter of the tin could be a bit ‘overdone’.I recently experienced the tall fluffy type in a Yorkshire restaurant and was not particularly impressed as it seemed to lack ‘body’as do some wines.Probably a bit of an ego-trip for the chef I’d say!
Tue 25 Nov 2008 at 12:48
The only person who can make the perfect Yorkshire pudding is your mother!!My wife and I have stood before our oven countless times with Delia in one hand and a whisk in the other, and still the results were less than perfect. We weighed adjusted the oven temperature, whisked till we were blue in the face, whisked hardly at all, and still we were disappointed with the results.Yet my mother – and I suspect your mothers could produce the absolute perfect Yorkshire with out any measuring etc. As I pointed out to my wife – making Yorskhires perfect is a chemical experiment – the parameters have to be just so!! Go outside the envelope, and disaster beckons.
BTW no one has said anything about the QUALITY of the ingredients, does the freshness of the eggs affect it, or the fact that the oil is on it’s way to rancidity by absorbing oxygen at the double bonds? How about the presence of flour weevils in the flour? (A very common occurance)What about iodine in the salt? After all when performing an experiment in the lab, you would use ingredients that are of analytical standard!!
Regards
Bob
Tue 25 Nov 2008 at 13:31
With respect Bob, the quality for some ingredients is laid out in the recipe – see “kitchen grade” flour. I suspect weevil-infested flour doesn’t come up to many peoples’ kitchen grade
Tue 28 Apr 2009 at 10:41
My husband and I recently visited family in England where we went out for a meal to a Pub and had roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. The roast beef came inside a great big Yorkshire pudding, so he had to take a photo and now that we are home he wants me to start making them like the picture. Can you tell me if there is a special tin for them? I’ve tried making them in a cake tin but they just rise in the middle and it doesn’t work. I am from Yorkshire and I have been making Yorkshire puddings for years in bun tins but, I just can’t seem to get them right in a cake tin. If anyone can tell me how to make these big round Yorkshire pudding, I would me most grateful.
Thu 28 May 2009 at 12:40
I presume you mean tristearin C57H110O6, when you mention ‘beef fat’?
Sun 19 Jul 2009 at 20:24
The reason for the yorkshire puddings not rising as well or as easily in calgary is actually to do with the flour. Canadian flour has more gluten and therefore produces a more ’sticky’ dough.
I used to live further north in Thompon, Manitoba which is not at high altitude and had a similar problem.
By the way this also affects pancake recipes and victoria sponge.
Sun 1 Nov 2009 at 16:27
I now swear by the TV cooks recipe (comes from mother of the Northern chappie whose name escapes me) … even more reliable than my mom’s.
Equal VOLUME of eggs, flour, milk – pinch of salt.
Hot fat from a hot oven (I use gas mark 8).
Simples (smuech)
Wed 18 Nov 2009 at 07:21
As it’s a year later, I doubt he’ll see this but someone should warn Chris Bishop about the hazards of consuming a glass of pure ethanol while cooking.
Glad someone brought up the Maillard reaction. I learnt of it in ‘On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen’ by Harold McGee, a good book for scientific types who enjoy cooking.
Tue 12 Jan 2010 at 05:21
Right, enough of this nonsense. The following is how to make PROPER traditional Yorkshire puddings of any size; batch muffin tin style or huge individual. That’s right, proper.
Delia Smith is not from Yorkshire, so we’ll not be taking lessons from either her, or that bloody Southerner Jamie Oliver. Pukka is no way to describe a Yorkshire pudding!
First things first, put away that cold tap. No room in this recipe for that water nonsense – it’s the eggs that make it filling and make them rise, not Adam’s Ale! If you’re a proper Yorkshireman, you want them BIG!
8oz of flour (227 grams)
8 eggs
1 pint of full fat milk (Yorkshire pint, 568ml, none of that nonsense American 454ml malarkey)
salt and pepper (though not essential)
Mix eggs and flour. Doesn’t matter about making a “well”. Pfft. So, mix together. Then add milk a bit at a time. Then put it in the fridge.
Did you ‘ear? I said put it int’ fridge! When you do that it does “stuff” that my uneducated Yorkshire brain don’t understand. But it works, see. Makes them more fluffy or summat.
Get your fat. If you’ve got a dicky heart or summat use oil from a bottle, otherwise use beef dripping. Put enough in each tin to coat the bottom, then stick the tin int’ oven on full whack til it’s smoking, and not before. But not like other day when i set the fat on fire. Women tend to panic when that ‘appens.
So, your beef dripping is smeachin’. With your overnight fridged-up batter, pour into each tin. With the fat being hot and the batter being cold it makes it react “more” (I hate to get technical). Pour in each tin, then whack in the oven (by which time yev turned down to 200C).
Leave it in the oven for 25-30 minutes. If thee opens t’door before then you’re a) stupid and b) going to get stern words from yours truly, so DON’T DO IT! It’ll make ‘em go flat and rubbish. And we don’t want that now, do we?
Bring out the Yorkshires, and if they’re nothing less than amazin’ you’re doing it wrong. This recipe is handed down through four generations, and comes from James Martin. He knows his stuff – he’s a chef yer know.
Here’s a photo of what they look like when they’re half way through the gestation process. Any arguments, then fly over ‘ere and we’ll ‘ave a cook off!
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs137.snc3/18478_381675765197_554345197_10407240_1835403_n.jpg
‘Ere endeth lesson.