English Yorkshire Pudding

NOTE: This recipe is an accompaniment to a beef roast. First, there are just a few rules: For a successful pudding you must have the oven very hot, use a metal container, and always use plain flour rather than self-raising.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

To make the batter, sift the flour into a bowl, make a well in the center, break an egg into it and beat it, gradually incorporating the flour, milk, water, and seasoning (an electric hand-whisk will do this in seconds). You don't have to leave batter to stand, so make it when you're ready.

About 15 minutes before the beef is due to come out of the oven, place an oblong tin 11 x 7 inches in size on a baking sheet on a free shelf of the oven, adding the roast dripping to the tin.

After 15 minutes, remove the meat and leave on one side to rest, then place the tin over direct heat while you pour the batter into the sizzling hot fat.

Then return the tin to the baking sheet on the highest shelf (or second highest, if you have roast potatoes on that one). The pudding will take about 25-30 minutes to rise and become crisp and golden.

Serve as soon as possible, as it loses its crunchiness if it has to wait around too long.