Toad in the hole

[Me76]

I love toad in the hole and my mum used to do good shizz. I've never really attempted it but have decided to try.

I know some things:

• good sausages
• cook them in the oven first in the pan it will be in
• make sure there is enough oil and it's proper hot before you put the batter in

I think my issue is with the batter. What's the secret to the best batter?

 

[iona]

I think my issue is with the batter. What's the secret to the best batter?

Beat the shit out of it, then let it rest in the fridge, then quickly tip it into smoking hot oil, get it straight in a hot oven and don't open the door again till it's done.

 

[spring-peeper]

Beat the shit out of it, then let it rest in the fridge, then quickly tip it into smoking hot oil, get it straight in a hot oven and don't open the door again till it's done.

You put the batter to rest in the fridge?

Interesting, I've always put it in a warmer place for an hour or so.

I wonder what the difference would be?

I make a simple batter - ! cup four, 3 eggs, beat it for a bit, add enough milk to make 2 cups, beat for 5 minutes, set to rest for a minimum of an hour.

 

[Epona]

Interestingly, I've never found it necessary to beat the batter much at all, I make mine with a wooden spoon quite slowly and it usually turns out lovely.
Combine the ingredients slowly - put the flour in a bowl, make a well and break the eggs into it, gradually combine them with the flour working out any large lumps as you go (small ones will tend to sort themselves out) add and mix in the milk very gradually.

I like Delia's old ratio for the batter 2 eggs, 4oz flour, 6fl oz milk. Pinch of salt of course. If you want an eggier batter then reduce the milk accordingly, however this particular ratio is one that I find very reliable.

Oh, use plain flour, not self-raising. Raising agents in the flour can make the texture sub-optimal, the best rise comes from air in the batter rapidly expanding.

Hot oven, hot pan, hot fat and lots of it (hot sausages if doing toad, pop them in for 5 minutes before adding the batter so that the fat runs out of them). Cold batter added to the hot fat, it should sizzle and bubble immediately.

Don't Open The Oven Door until it has been in long enough for the risen batter to have cooked sufficiently so it doesn't flop when cold air enters the oven and causes air bubbles in the batter to contract, it's usually ok to check after 20 minutes but your final cooking time is likely to be 25 or 30 mins. But do not open the oven door to check on it before the 20 minute mark at least.

 

[Saunders]

I don’t make toad in the hole but do make Yorkshire puddings, and the recipe I use is my ma-in-laws which is consistently good
Equal volumes of egg, plain flour and milk, pinch salt, mix together with a hand whisk until smooth, leave to stand for at least an hour, stir again before using. As above, hot oven, hot pan, hot fat.

 

[maomao]

I use half water half milk for batter. I rest it, but not in the fridge. I mix it in the blender but that's out of laziness and impatience rather than anything else. If you don't have an amazing oven, splitting it into smaller dishes will help. When I use my biggest oven dish it always flops a little in the middle.

 

[Saffy]

Smoking hot fat and let the batter rest for at least 30mins before cooking.
Give it a good stir before putting in the pan. I use a hand whisk to make mine.
I use 70g of plain flour, 2 eggs and 100mls fluid made up of 90mls milk 10 water.
Cook for 25 mins at 210°.
I make mine in cake sandwich tins and they come out perfectly each time with a good ratio of crispy sides and softer middle.

 

[danny la rouge]

I love toad in the hole and my mum used to do good shizz. I've never really attempted it but have decided to try.

I know some things:

• good sausages
• cook them in the oven first in the pan it will be in
• make sure there is enough oil and it's proper hot before you put the batter in

I think my issue is with the batter. What's the secret to the best batter?

Have you considered using pilchards instead of sausages?

 

[Epona]

Smoking hot fat and let the batter rest for at least 30mins before cooking.
Give it a good stir before putting in the pan. I use a hand whisk to make mine.
I use 70g of plain flour, 2 eggs and 100mls fluid made up of 90mls milk 10 water.
Cook for 25 mins at 210°.
I make mine in cake sandwich tins and they come out perfectly each time with a good ratio of crispy sides and softer middle.

Oh cake sandwich tins are perfect for it, that's what I use too.

 

[WouldBe]

I use half water half milk for batter. I rest it, but not in the fridge. I mix it in the blender but that's out of laziness and impatience rather than anything else. If you don't have an amazing oven, splitting it into smaller dishes will help. When I use my biggest oven dish it always flops a little in the middle.

That's basically how my mum used to do it but she mixed it with a metal spoon.

 

[spitfire]

I use this one for the batter, usually works OK.

Best Yorkshire puddings

The secret to getting gloriously puffed-up Yorkshire puddings is to have the fat sizzling hot and don't open the oven door!

www.bbcgoodfood.com

And Delia's onion gravy is amaaaaaazing.

Place the sliced onions in a bowl, add one teaspoon of the oil and the sugar and toss the onions around to get the lightest coating, then spread them on the baking tray. Next arrange the sausages in the roasting tin, then place the onions on a high shelf in the oven, with the sausages on a lower shelf, and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the sausages from the oven but leave the onions in for a further 4-5 minutes - they need to be nicely blackened round the edges. When they are ready, remove them and leave to one side.

First add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder to the stock, then add the onions from the baking tray to a medium-sized pan. Now add the second teaspoon of oil, then, using a wooden spoon, stir in the plain flour. Stir all this together over a medium heat and then switch to a whisk, then gradually add the stock to the pan, whisking all the time, until it's all in. Then bring it up to simmering point and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Taste to check the seasoning, then pour into a warmed serving jug.

• 8oz/225g onions, peeled and sliced
• 2 tsp groundnut or other flavourless oil
• 1 level tsp golden caster sugar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 level tsp mustard powder
• 15fl oz/425ml vegetable stock
• 2 rounded tsp plain flour
• salt and freshly milled black pepper

I use twice as much stock and simmer it for much longer to reduce it down more.

Toad in the hole with roasted-onion gravy Archive

I can't give this high enough accolades - it's a simply wonderful creation from the humble origins of British cooking. If only you could order it in a restaurant, though. Equipment and preparation: You will need a solid-based, flameproof roasting tin with a base of 9x6in/23x15cm, 2 in/5cm deep...

beebrecipes.co.uk

 

[Me76]

It worked well, thanks for the advice everyone

 

[Epona]

That looks superb, well done

 

[Elpenor]

pour gravy straight into the oven dish and eat

 

[Nine Bob Note]

Fry sausages quickly to colour/crisp only and set aside. I don't mind them retaining fat - you'll get a bit of a gap around the 'toad', but the base/centre will be extra tasty.
Pour enough sunflower oil into roaster/tray(s) - I like to use individual foil trays, as I have varying numbers of veggies/omnivores to cater for - to almost cover the base and stick into the oven at GM9
One egg and one and a half heaped spoons of flour (I don't own a tablespoon) per two people in a jug, splash of milk, salt and pepper. Mix with a fork, dragging it against the sides to get the lumps out for thirty seconds. Add milk to bring it to the consistency of gravy/white sauce.
Trays out once smoking, pour in enough batter to (again) almost cover the base. Back in the oven for three-four minutes.
Out, add the sausages to your aborted rectangular yorkshire(s) and pour over enough batter that the sausages are about a third submerged.
Back it the oven and turn it down to GM7 for 30-35 minutes (or make allowances for anything else you may be cooking alongside).

No need for sparkling water, twenty-seven eggs, resting in the fridge for seven days and seven nights, thoughts and prayers etc

 

[WouldBe]

I use this one for the batter, usually works OK.

And Delia's onion gravy is amaaaaaazing.

Mum sometimes used to do onion Yorkshire's. Chopped onion in bottom of tin and batter over the top. Yum.

 

[kalmatthew]

I was looking for a beer batter recipe for toad in the hole and came across drunken toad in the hole which uses beer batter and pigs in blankets. It was really good, although sometimes I just fancy plain old toad.

 

[Steel Icarus]

I could really do with some TITH (fnurrp fnurrp) now, somebody send plz thx