Yorkshire Pudding (or just Yorkshire) is a baked, savoury batter pudding originating in Yorkshire, England. Normally accompanying beef, potatoes and vegetables, the batter is made from eggs, flour, milk and salt.

The Yorkshire can take one of two forms. Small bun-sized puddings may be put on the plate beside the meal, or larger puddings are baked, which have a sunken centre into which the food is placed - vegetables, meat, gravy and all.

If you are roasting a joint of meat for dinner, the Yorkshires can be placed in the oven for the last 20 minutes for baking.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs

Method:

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk the flour, salt, eggs and a little milk to make a smooth paste, then mix in the rest of the milk to make a batter. Preheat a little lard or beef dripping in a round tin, or bun tins, then pour in the mixture and cook for 25 minutes or until risen and golden brown.

Lard or dripping are ideal fats for cooking, but a vegetarian version can be made by cooking in oil - although the lower temperature will affect the final result.

When making Yorkshire puddings, I use a recipe that has been passed down from my Grandfather, who was apparently quite the budding chef. My Mum taught me to remember 5-3-1 for the proportions of milk to flour to eggs, as can be seen below.

• 5 fl. oz. of full fat milk
• 3 heaped tablespoons of plain flour
• 1 egg
• large pinch of salt

Whisk it up 'til it's good and smooth and then rest the mixture for as long as you can.

When cooking the puddings you are aiming to get a raised rim, slightly crisp and flat centre. Place some fat in the wells in the pudding tray you are using, I always use some of the fat from the joint that I'm roasting, and get it really hot, almost smoking hot. If you can't do this in the oven put it on the hob.

Divide the mixture into the wells on the pudding tray, and cook at the top of a hot oven. I was always taught not to open the door to check on them during the first ten minutes, presumably as the influx of cold air might deflate them.