Can someone teach me how to make a toad in the hole please???

[borisjohnsonshair]

I have tried over the years to make this, and every time it never turns out right. My gut feeling is that it needs to be cooked lower and slower than all the recipes suggest, as mine always burns on the outside and is wet and soggy in the middle, despite cooking it for about an hour more than I should do. If anyone can make one successfully, then please can you pass on your recipe/method? Thank you.

[GwendolineScaryLacey]

Delia (on my phone so can't be arsed linking!). Never ever fails. I double the quantity of hole though as we're pigs :o. As long as you make sure the dish is extremely well greased it's perfect every time.

[marquesas]

An hour longer than it says isn't right - if you've cooked the sausages first the batter shouldn't take more than about 20 mins, just use whatever recipe you do for Yorkshires.

You need to have the oven smoking hot (220 approx) and get the batter in quick.

[PurplePidjInAPointyHat]

Cook the sausages in the dish in the oven, tip the batter over when they're nearly done :)

[borisjohnsonshair]

The thing is, I've tried following recipes to the letter; my oven has a thermometer in it, so I know it's the right temperature. The last recipe I tried had quite a runny batter mixture; the oil was smoking hot, the sausages had been cooked for about 10 mins. I put the batter in over the sausages, cooked for 10 mins, then turned the oven down and cooked for another 20. Still raw in the middle. So took out the sausages and ate them with the veg, put the batter back in for another 20 mins - still not cooked, but very burnt at the edges. I want to give up, but also want to beat this thing as I don't like not being able to do things.

does it make a difference what type of dish and oil you use? I usually use an enamel one, and use sunflower or rapeseed oil.

Thanks for all the tips so far btw

[BaldricksTurnip]

Recently discovered that you need to put oil in the dish first, then put back into oven until its boiling, then put pour batter in and slam the door quickly. Works every time!

[Frontpaw]

Your fat's got to be smoking hot. I cook up my (veggie) sausages in the pyrex dish with olive oil. When they're donw and the fat is hot, get the batter in there fast and the dish back into the oven and the door closed. Keep it closed to keep the heat up! Works a treat! Yum.

[PurplePidjInAPointyHat]

Dp normally does it (he has the knack) but it's always yorkshire pud-texture batter and a big metal roasting tin.

[sashh]

the oil was smoking hot

You need lard or dripping, animal fat gets hotter than veg oil/fat.

Put your oven on about 220.

Get a metal oven dish, put in the sausages and lard for 15 mins.

Take two eggs, some milk and flour.

beat the eggs in a large jug (easier to pour) add about 1/2 pint of milk and whisk. Start adding flour and whisk. Keep adding flour until the mixture is the texture of double cream.

Turn the oven up to full.

Pour the batter into the tin as quickly as you can and put back in the oven for 10 mins.

[Frontpaw]

I use vegetable oil (not olive, as previously said - it doesn't taste ok) as I make a veggie version and it works ok. I love yokshire puds!

Actually (lazy cook emcom) M+S do a tub of batter mix which comes with a measuring spoon, so you just need to measure cold water and scoops into a jar - shake and its ready to use (my mum will be spinning at this!).

[ApplesinmyPocket]

I did a perfect one the other day. Used the left-over yorkshire pudding mix I'd made in Sunday. Let it come to room temperature. Fried the sausages till they were nearly done while the (vegetable) oil was heating in a very hot oven (glass pyrex dish.)

Sausages into hot oil in dish, poured in batter around them (the oil was so hot the batter sizzled and immediately began to 'lift' at the edges) - gently into oven, didn't open door again, done to perfection (big, brown puffy) in about 25 mins.

I've had some failures, though. Oven temp and oil temp are surely crucial, as is not opening the door until the thing has done the initial rising and firming. Room-temp batter is, I sense, important. A not-too-deep dish so it doesn't get the chance to cluster all sulky and pasty in the middle out of sight.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things, really.... grit your teeth and try again. It will come right next time I bet! what with all us MN-ers willing it up, up UP [hsmile]

[TitWillow]

I sometimes do the toad in two sections. So cook your sausages, heat oil till very hot in your dish - at least a centimetre deep. Add about a 3rd of the batter to the oil, and back in the oven for ten minutes. Take it out, lay the sausages on top of the batter, and pour the rest of the batter on top, back in the oven for 20 mins. I sometimes add browned onions to the sausages too.
The batter will be crispy round the edges, and solid but still moist in the middle. Yum.

[Frontpaw]

Yes - you need the sizzle! I don't take the bowl out of the oven fully - just slip the shelf out a bit, pour the batter in fast and get the door closed (and keep it closed) as fast as possible.

[marquesas]

Yes, you definitely need lard not oil and don't turn the oven down while it's cooking.

Does the batter start to rise almost as soon as you put it in the oven? Maybe the problem is your recipe - how do you make the batter?

[MissZombRee]

Whisk your mix up the key it sit on the side for an hour so the mix is room temp, not cold as the milk will have been fridge temp, I assume? Whisk it up some more after the hour to get some air in it and then into the boiling hot oil!

[Frontpaw]

I put the batter in a jar with a screw top and give it a good shake. It should bubble and hiss when it hits the hot fat (veg oil does work - I can't compare to animal fat as I haven't eaten it for over 25 years now!).

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

Dumb question....can you make homemade Yorkshire pudding?

Personally in the days of aunt Bessie I have gone off homemade Yorkshire puddings because I don't like the stodgy bit in the middle. That doesn't mean it is undercooked though.

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

The other thing would be to use less batter I guess to get less stodge in the middle.

[Frontpaw]

Stodgy middle = batter too deep and fat/oven not hot enough.

[marquesas]

Haunted - yes, you certainly can home make Yorkshires, you do know that they existed before Aunt Bessie don't you

There was a recent thread about the best recipe

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

I know you can. I meant could the op make home made yorkies without the sausages that she was happy with!

My point was that a homemade girlie is completely different to an aunt Bessie and that aiming for the latter is bound to lead to dissapointment.

[marquesas]

Haha Haunted, I thought you meant can one home make Yorkshires

I agree, it would be good to practice with just the batter first.

[amidaiwish]

Inspiring thread!! Place marking

[ChristmasKate]

frontpaw has it right, you're adding to much batter.

I like to put bacon and onion in mine.

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

Oi! I said less batter first

[Frontpaw]