Toad In The Hole Recipe | Rise Every Time | Hint Of Helen (2024)

FAQs

Why is my toad in the hole batter not cooking? ›

However it is most likely that the batter isn't quite cooking properly due to the dish. Stoneware tends to heat up very slowly and doesn't give the instant hit of heat that the batter needs to help it to rise properly.

Despite popular belief, there is no record of the dish ever being made with toad. The origin of the name is unclear, but it may refer to the way toads wait for their prey in their burrows, with their heads poking out, just as sausages peep through the batter.

Note 1 – the baking dish:

A large, reasonably deep dish is best. If you can use a metal one (like a deep roasting tin) or an enamel one, that's even better as it will get hotter and the heat distribution is better.

Working quickly and carefully, pour the rested batter (give it one last quick stir) around the sausages, partially covering them (I did this in the reverse order, putting the batter down and then laying the sausages, which is also fine, but makes the sausages float on top of the batter at the end).

In its earliest incarnation it was simply referred to as 'meat boiled in a crust' (a strong contender for 'least appealing name for a dish', but then, so is 'toad-in-the-hole'); in Hannah Glasse's 1900 cookbook, there was a recipe for 'Pigeons in a hole' but, to be fair to her, at least actual pigeons were baked into ...

Toad in the Hole is said to be known as far back as 1787 but the most famous reference is in Mrs. Beeton's Cookery Book first published in 1861. There are many old tales of where it got its name with the most popular being that the small sausages or meat bits used in years gone by resembled toads peeking out of a hole.

It has been suggested the pudding was given the name “Yorkshire” due to the region's association with coal and the high temperatures this produced that helped to make crispy batter.

Once you've put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours. If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Toad in the Hole in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.

Can I use a cake tin for toad in the hole? ›

Pop the empty loaf or cake tin(s) in the oven to warm. 2. Sift the flour into a bowl. Whisk the milk and eggs in a jug.

FREEZE AHEAD: Once cool, put the toad-in-the-holes on a lined baking tray and freeze for 4 hours. Pack in freezer bags and freeze for up to one month. Reheat from frozen on a baking tray covered loosely with foil, in a preheated oven at 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6, for 15-20 mins or until piping hot throughout.

Also, to make sure the Yorkshire pudding rises, don't be tempted to open the oven as it's cooking. This will just bring down the temperature, making it more likely to be soggy. Another great tip is to heat oil in the tray prior to pouring the batter in to achieve the perfect golden pudding.

We said that the casing of dry sausages is covered by a white powder, which is a natural flora. This is the real scientific term to designate this phenomenon. This flora usually develops naturally during the curing process of the sausages.

Store any leftover Toad In The Hole in a lidded container in the fridge until required. (It will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.) To reheat, simply place the cold Toad In The Hole on roasting tray in an oven heated to 220C (200C fan / gas mark 7 / 425F) for 10-15 minutes or until piping hot all the way through.

If your toad in the hole is soggy, it might be due to there being too many sausages in the tin. Try to make sure they're spaced far apart from each other to allow the batter to get crisp. Also, to make sure the Yorkshire pudding rises, don't be tempted to open the oven as it's cooking.

Why does my toad in the hole not rise in the middle? If you are using a metal tin and are sure your oven is hot enough, it could be because your tin is too small. You need plenty of space between the sausages to allow the Yorkshire pudding to rise properly – if your tin is crowded the batter can't cook properly.

Breading Vegetables For Frying

Wet and wet doesn't work; dry and dry doesn't work. First, pat the veggies dry as much as possible to get your breading to stick to your zucchini (eggplant, green tomatoes). Then dredge them in some seasoned flour (cornstarch or rice flour to make a crispier end product).

Eggs aren't all the same weight so if 200ml is still too thick, then add a bit more milk. If you end up with something that is more the consistency of water, just add a little flour to thicken it back up a little.