Anne Morgan Delia Smith’s Yorkshire pudding for 12 is her recipe for 6 doubled: 350g (12 oz) plain flour (all-purpose flour), 4 eggs, 350ml semi-skimmed milk, 220ml water, and beef dripping, baked in two oblong tins at 220°C (Gas Mark 7) for 25 to 30 minutes. When I need Yorkshire pudding for Christmas dinner or a big family gathering, this is what I make.
The method is identical to the for-6 version. Two oblong tins, same batter depth, same temperature, same timing.
More Yorkshire Pudding Recipes:
- All Yorkshire Pudding Recipes
- Yorkshire Puddings for 4
- Yorkshire Puddings for 6
- Yorkshire Puddings for 8
Timing It With the Roast
When you are cooking for 12, oven space is the real problem. The joint needs to rest for 20 to 30 minutes after it comes out, and that is exactly when the Yorkshire puddings go in.
The roast potatoes should already be done by this point. Move them to a lower shelf because the Yorkshire puddings need the top shelf and all the heat you can give them.
Yorkshire Pudding for 12 Ingredients
- 350g (12 oz) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 4 large eggs
- 350ml semi-skimmed milk
- 220ml water
- 160g beef dripping, or 8 tbsp flavourless oil such as vegetable or sunflower
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
How To Make Delia Smith Yorkshire Pudding for 12
- Sift the flour high: Use a large bowl on a cloth. Hold the sieve high and sift in the plain flour. Season with salt and pepper, then make a well in the centre.
- Mix the batter: Break all 4 eggs into the well. Beat with an electric hand whisk, gradually pulling the flour in from the edges. Slowly add the milk and water, whisking until smooth. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula and whisk once more. No resting needed.
- Heat the fat: Set the oven to 220°C (200°C Fan / Gas Mark 7 / 425°F). Divide the dripping or oil between two oblong tins, each about 20cm x 26cm with 1.5 litre capacity. Heat in the oven for 10 minutes until the fat is smoking.
- Pour the batter: Take one tin out, place it on the hob over high heat, pour half the batter into the sizzling fat, and return it to the oven. Repeat with the second tin.
- Bake: Both tins on the top shelf, or top and second shelf if needed. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not open the oven door.
- Serve: Cut each pudding into 6 portions and serve immediately. If the first tin is done before the second, keep it warm under a grill.
Can I Make These Ahead?
You can make the batter up to an hour before, but give it a whisk before pouring because the flour settles. You cannot bake the puddings ahead because they need to go straight from oven to table.
If they do go soft while you are plating everything else, 2 minutes under a hot grill brings them back. For 12 people I usually have someone else carving the meat while I handle the Yorkshire puddings so they arrive at the table hot.
FAQs
Can I make 12 individual Yorkshire puddings instead?
Yes. Use a 12-hole muffin tin with a teaspoon of dripping or oil in each hole. Heat the tin for 10 minutes, divide the batter between the holes, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Individual puddings are faster but they dry out more easily than the large slab version.
Is this actually a Delia recipe?
Delia publishes recipes for 4 and for 6. She writes in the Complete Cookery Course that for larger numbers she doubles the ingredients and uses two tins. This page follows that instruction, using her exact batter ratio and method scaled up.
Why milk and water instead of all milk?
The water turns to steam faster in the hot oven, which forces the batter upwards. All milk makes a softer, richer pudding that does not rise as high. The mix of semi-skimmed milk and water gives you the best combination of flavour and crispness.
Can I use one very large tin for all the batter?
You can but the batter will be much deeper, which means the outside overcooks before the inside sets. Two tins at the right depth is safer and gives you the same 25 to 30 minute baking time that Delia tested.
More Recipes To Try:
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 240 kcal
- Fat: 13g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Protein: 7g
- Dietary Fibre: 1g
Nutrition information is estimated per serving (serves 12).
Delia Smith Yorkshire Pudding for 12
Course: Side DishCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy12
servings10
minutes30
minutes240
kcalDelia Smith’s Yorkshire pudding for 12 is her recipe for 6 doubled: 350g (12 oz) plain flour, 4 eggs, 350ml semi-skimmed milk, 220ml water, and beef dripping, baked in two oblong tins at 220°C (Gas Mark 7) for 25 to 30 minutes. When I need Yorkshire pudding for Christmas dinner or a big family gathering, this is what I make.
Delia says in the Complete Cookery Course that she doubles the quantities and uses two tins for larger numbers. The method is identical to the for-6 version.
Ingredients
350g (12 oz) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
4 large eggs
350ml semi-skimmed milk
220ml water
160g beef dripping, or 8 tbsp flavourless oil such as vegetable or sunflower
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
Directions
- Sift the flour high: Use a large bowl on a cloth. Hold the sieve high and sift in the plain flour. Season with salt and pepper, then make a well in the centre.
- Mix the batter: Break all 4 eggs into the well. Beat with an electric hand whisk, gradually pulling the flour in from the edges. Slowly add the milk and water, whisking until smooth. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula and whisk once more. No resting needed.
- Heat the fat: Set the oven to 220°C (200°C Fan / Gas Mark 7 / 425°F). Divide the dripping or oil between two oblong tins, each about 20cm x 26cm with 1.5 litre capacity. Heat in the oven for 10 minutes until the fat is smoking.
- Pour the batter: Take one tin out, place it on the hob over high heat, pour half the batter into the sizzling fat, and return it to the oven. Repeat with the second tin.
- Bake: Both tins on the top shelf, or top and second shelf if needed. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not open the oven door.
- Serve: Cut each pudding into 6 portions and serve immediately. If the first tin is done before the second, keep it warm under a grill.
Notes
- This is Delia’s for-6 recipe doubled, as she recommends in the Complete Cookery Course.
- Two oblong tins keep the batter depth correct so timing stays the same.
- Milk and water, not all milk. Beef dripping for best flavour.
- Make the batter while the meat rests, then bake immediately.
