Thursday, July 28, 2011

Vegan Yorkshire Pudding ... Sort Of

This must be cook-from-different-cultures week. Jewish Matzoh Brie for breakfast, Indian Curry for dinner last night, and now English Yorkshire Pudding tonight. Now, I've never had Yorkshire Pudding, and until I Wikipedia-ed it, so I had no idea what it was. I really thought it'd be like our American pudding — ultra-creamy and sort of gravy-like.

But the magic of the internet revealed something very different, something more like a bread or biscuit. When I first blogged about my new European vegan cookbook, Vegan Rustic Cooking by Diana White, my friend John P asked me to try the Yorkshire Pudding with Vegan Sausage. So I did. But mine didn't come out looking at all like the pictures I saw on the internet:

Mine looks and tastes more like a muffin with little chunks of cooked Gimme Lean sausage. Yummy, but probably not the texture it's supposed to be. But since I didn't know any better, I enjoyed my sausage muffins.

As the book suggests, I served some Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Parsnips on the side:

And I added a serving of sweet potatoes after I snapped the picture because I'm a hungry girl.

Has anyone tried Yorkshire pudding? What are the taste and texture supposed to be like?

16 comments:

Shannon said...

Yorkshire pudding is like a hollow wonderful light and fluffy popover. You can make them with just oil I think (and maybe some sort of egg replacer), but yea, they are really light and hollow in the middle so you can pour in gravy ;)

littleblackfox said...

Hello! I grew up in Yorkshire, land of the Yorkshire pudding, where it's been eaten since the 1700's! It's basically an unsweetened pancake batter, very puffy, light and crisp (they say it must be at least 4 inches tall to be a real Yorkshire pudding). The secret is to pour a little oil into your muffin or baking tray & get it really smoking hot before adding the batter, so it puffs up straight away.
If you had sausages in it, what you've made is Toad-in-the-Hole!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toad_in_the_hole
Here's a good recipe http://www.vegancampaigns.org.uk/resources/recipes/mnsdYorkshirePud.html

Caitlin said...

wow- this is really interesting! i always thought yorkshire pudding was some sort of casserole dish!

your biscuits and sausage still look great, by the way!

i think i might try to make the recipe that littleblackfox posted!

VeggieLow said...

i also grew up in yorkshire... well durham, but close enough... still a yorkshire rose. i have had NO LUCK since i went veg making decent YPs... my mam and dad can't live w/out them, so when they visit, i try to make vegan ones, but cant ever do it... i feel like b/c it needs egg and milk, it's hard to sub both... i will try that recipe you suggested littleblack fox... and will report back on success/failure. your toad ina hole looks yum tho :) thanks for the post!

VeggieLow said...

should have looked before i posted... wesbite link cut off but i found it ag http://www.vegancampaigns.org.uk/resources/recipes/mnsdYorkshirePud.html

littleblackfox, for white fat do you use crisco? also, i've found that soy milk makes them taste too sweet... is that what you typically use? any advice would be appreciated :)

Anonymous said...

VeggieLow, have you tried it with unsweetened soy milk?

I always loved yorkshire puddings before I turned vegan, but I haven't attempted them since. I might have to experiment now!

Isn't it funny how you always assume everyone in the world knows about your 'noral' food...or is that just me?

Helen said...

here's one http://thriftyliving.net/2009/10/19/vegan-yorkshire-puddings/

Unknown said...

I always assumed it was a pudding like dish as well. This post blows my mind.

littleblackfox said...

Hi VeggieLow!
Thanks for finding that new link (I swear I'm jinxed when it comes to the internet)I've not had the greatest of success with vegan ones either, like you I think that they need egg & milk (though I seem to just about get away with toad-in-the-hole, sausages hide a multitude of sins!). For white fat I use vegetable shortening (trex, flora white etc). I find soya milk too sweet too, but not found an alternative, I just put lots of black pepper in the batter instead!
Good luck!

Kelsey Ann said...

i definitely think these would be excellent to try out! even the brussels look extremely appetizing!!

Tofu Mom (AKA Tofu-n-Sprouts) said...

I remember trying Yorkshire Puddings when in England, they always looked so romantic and fascinating in picture books - a HUGE APOLOGY to all those who grew up with them, but I found them very "animal fatty" tasting - like they'd been cooked in hamburger grease? (I wasn't vegan at the time, but WAS vegetarian and the cook assured me they would be a good option - I found out otherwise - blergh) They were crisp on the top but squidgy inside. Not something I'm in a hurry to re-create as a vegan...

Meggie said...

I have tried to veganize every Yorkshire pudding recipe I can possibly find on the internet with no success. I seriously think it is impossible. If you are able to master it, please, please tell us all!

Anonymous said...

Yorkshire pudding is so delicious and comforting. I grew up having it with dinner every Sunday. I havent tried veganizing it yet though. Littleblackfox has the best advice. Putting oil in the muffin tin and letting it heat in the oven is best. You can also use crisco, thats what my grandma uses :)

firma contabilitate said...

Hmmm this recipe looks so delicious and nice and i think that fits perfect with my taste. Even it doesen`t like a very easy recipe i think i will try it. Thanks for sharing.

VeggieLow said...

hi littleblackfox - my link didnt post right either so it's not just you. alas, the soymilk conundrum... and nothanksimavegan.com, even unsweetened is pretty sweet - but thanks for the tip. perhaps i shall try diluted cashew cream or something. i'll keep everyone posted :)

Jen said...

Never had it. I will say that there are variations of persimmon pudding here in Indiana, that are solid and in bar form.