Toad in the hole is one of my favourite meals, I love Yorkshire puddings and I love sausages so its literally the dream dinner for me, and also a lovely alternative to a roast on a Sunday and its certainly less effort... but sometimes I like to make it a little bit more special so I wrap my sausages in bacon and add a sprinkle of fresh thyme.. it just adds another dimension to an already delicious comfort dinner.
I don't use scales when I make my Yorkshires it just all comes down to the size of the egg, I'll have a go at describing it in the method but if you get a little bit confused then please see my YouTube channel katiecooks for an actual how to video, you'll never bother getting the scales out for Yorkshires again!!
In the picture I made individual toad in the holes which are great fun and can even be used as a side on a roast dinner, but if you prefer just make the toad as one large one as you would normally.
Oh and lastly... try and get hold of some Jolly Hog sausages if you can, they're bloody yummy!!
Prep time 20 mins
Cooking time 1hr
2 free range eggs
Plain flour
Milk
Salt and pepper to taste.
8 pork sausages
4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, sliced in half
8 small sprigs of fresh thyme
4tbsp veg oil (this is for the Yorkshire pudding tin, I use roughly 1/2tbsp per Yorkshire)
Your Yorkshire pudding batter
Pre heat the oven to 160c
Pop the sausage on a baking tray and gently brown them in the oven for 10 mins.
For the Yorkshire pudding batter... here goes!!
Grab yourself a clean coffee mug, a measuring jug, a whisk and the ingredients.
Crack your 2 eggs into the coffee mug, the reason we do this and don't crack them straight in to the measuring jug is because we need to use the mug as a marker, so whatever level the two eggs came up in the mug is the amount of flour and milk we'll use. So crack them into the mug then pour them into the measuring jug.
Now in the same mug adding 1tbsp at a time of the plain flour until you reach the level the eggs came to, you'll be able to easily tell because it will stick to the residue, once you have an equal amount of plain flour, add it to the measuring jug with the eggs.
Repeat the same process with the milk, filling it to the same level as the egg and flour and then pour in to the measuring jug.
Add a few cracks of salt and pepper and whisk until smooth, a few small lumps won't hurt, pop in the fridge until needed.
Don't forget if that sounded a bit complicated then just go see my YouTube channel katiecooks there's a short demonstration and its really not as complicated as it sounds when written down.
After 10 mins remove the sausages from the oven and turn the heat up to 200c, set the sausage aside to cool enough to be handled.
Now get your Yorkshire pudding tin and drizzle about 1/2tbsp per mould and we want to make 8 Yorkshires, pop it in the oven to heat the oil.
Once your sausages are cooled enough to handle lay a sprig of thyme on each sausage and then wrap the bacon around each sausage so you have 8 pigs in blanket.
Now moving quickly but carefully get the Yorkshire pudding tin from the oven with the now hot oil, pour your Yorkshire pudding batter evenly across all the moulds and then using tongs place 1 pig in blanket into each.
Pop straight back in the oven and bake for 35 mins.
Your Yorkshires should be golden and delicious and the sausage juicy with crispy bacon wrapped around, enjoy with some creamy mash and buttered greens.
Please take great care when handling hot oil, it is important that the oil is very hot to make the best Yorkshires but always be extra cautious when moving in and out of the oven.
I like to use a measuring jug for my batter mix because its easier and safer to pour into the hot oil.
