Recipe from my ex-future-mother-in-law’s actual Yorkshire kitchen. It works in Texas, too! This is one of my favorite treats – cheap, easy, and oh so delicious with some warm brown gravy!

Needless to say, these are not what we Americans would refer to as “pudding” (which is usually cold, smooth, sweet, and eaten for dessert). Yorkshire puddings, which are essentially baked batter (like a Yankee “popover”), were originally a first course – they were meant to fill you up before the meat arrived. They’ve morphed into a British tradition and are served alongside a traditional Sunday roast, with lashings of beef gravy (preferably made from drippings from the same roasting joint). Sometimes, you will see giant Yorkshire puddings with the meat, vegetables, and gravy poured inside, like a big, edible plate!

They’re a bit tricky to get just right, but here’s my very best recipe (adjust for your altitude if necessary).

1 cup white flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup lard or bacon fat

1. Stir the flour and salt together in a medium-sized bowl. In a separate bowl, thoroughly beat the eggs for about one minmute; add milk and stir lightly. Slowly pour the eggs and milk into the flour mixture, folding together as you go. Stir vigorously with a large fork until the ingredients are evenly mixed but no longer. Cover and set aside at room temperature for up to two hours.

2. About 20 minutes before your dinner is ready to serve, preheat your oven to 450°F. Spoon a half-thimble-sized bit of lard into each cup in a regular old muffin tin. Place the tin in the oven and allow the lard to melt (about five minutes) – it should be nearly smoking hot.

3. Carefully remove the tin from the oven and place on the stove top or other stable, heat-proof surface. Pour the batter into each cup, filling about halfway. This should fill up all 12 cups in the tin. Do not overfill.

4. Place the tin back in the oven and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Do not open the door for at least the first 15 minutes, or you will cause your puddings to deflate. If you have a window on your oven, you can watch their progress. After about 15 minutes, you can take a peek to see how fast they’re browning. You want them to be fairly browned, and a light, glistening yellow in the centers. They should rise into a classic mushroom shape, fluffy with a hollow center.

5. Once browned, remove the puddings from the oven and allow to sit for a couple of minutes. You can then pop them right out of the tin with your fingertips, or guide them with a fork or spatula. Serve immediately alongside roast meat and vegetables, topped with a generous helping of a nice brown gravy (preferably beef!).

Makes 12 medium sized puddings.