Traditional Toad in the Hole Recipe - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why does my toad in the hole have a soggy bottom? ›

Our answer. The batter in a toad in the hole should rise up but will be airy and crisp rather than spongy or cakey. The flour should be plain (all-purpose) flour and not self-raising. However it is most likely that the batter isn't quite cooking properly due to the dish.

Getting your Yorkshires to rise:

Toad in the Hole needs a hot dish with plenty of oil. Using a metal baking tin and adding the batter quickly is recommended. Also, the dish needs to be large enough so that the batter can creep around the edges (at least 30cm x 25cm ideally).

Toad in the hole is a traditional English dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter, usually served with onion gravy and vegetables. Historically, the dish has also been prepared using other meats, such as rump steak and lamb's kidney. In the 21st century, vegetarian and vegan versions have appeared.

The best side dishes to serve with toad in the hole are onion gravy, mozzarella sticks, mashed potatoes, blooming onion, buttered peas, roasted root vegetables, steamed broccoli, cauliflower cheese, creamed corn, colcannon, horseradish sauce, and braised red cabbage.

Pro tips for your toad in the hole:

Use a metal (or enamel-coated metal) baking tin if possible – a large, reasonably deep dish is best. Using a metal tin means the tin it will get hotter and the heat distribution will be more even. Mine is a rectangular enamel roaster, approx 31cmx25cm and 5cm deep.

One vital tip: don't open the oven while the batter is cooking. If you do, it will collapse and you'll end up with a pancake. And when the toad in the hole looks like it's ready, give it another 5 minutes in the oven – it will be perfect when you take it out.

If the dish did not fully cook, it will stick. Bake until it dries and starts browning. Rub the oil on the baking dish before heating it. Line the baking dish with parchment paper.

The most commonly accepted explanation for its name is that the sausages resemble toads peeking from a crevice made of crisp batter.

FREEZE AHEAD: Once cool, put the toad-in-the-holes on a lined baking tray and freeze for 4 hours. Pack in freezer bags and freeze for up to one month. Reheat from frozen on a baking tray covered loosely with foil, in a preheated oven at 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6, for 15-20 mins or until piping hot throughout.

The skin-gland secretions of cane toads (called bufotoxin) are highly toxic and can sicken or even kill animals that bite or feed on them, including native animals and domestic pets. The skin secretions may irritate the skin or burn the eyes of people who handle them.

What do Americans call Toad in the Hole? ›

Egg in a Basket features an egg fried in the hole of a buttery slice of bread. The dish goes by several other names as well; Americans sometimes call it Toad in the Hole, but that title more properly refers to the traditional English dish of Yorkshire pudding with sausage and onion gravy.

The best way to know whether or not you have the perfect consistency is to dip a spoon into the batter and see if the batter creates a thin layer on the back of the spoon. If the batter falls off, then it's too thin and if a lot of the batter stays on the spoon, it's too thick.

Elevate your toad-in-the-hole experience with golden brown sausages in a bed of luscious, melting mustardy cheddar cheese, with tender broccoli florets peeking out from between. It's accompanied by a side of steamed greens and topped with a generous ladle of our rich homemade gravy.

Usually in America, toad in the hole refers to an egg cooked in the hole cut out of a piece of bread. But in England, it's sausages cooked in what is essentially Yorkshire pudding.

I got so fed up with a sausage toad sticking that I now make them separately. I make 2 individual yorkies for the 2 of us in 8 inch cake tins. When cooked they are the perfect container for a couple of sausages, mash, peas (or whatever) and gravy all in the one crispy 'receptacle'.

Why is my toad in the hole spongy? This typically occurs because you didn't cook the batter long enough or at a high enough temperature. To achieve the ideal texture, you must fully preheat your oven and ensure that the oil is hot before you pour in the batter.

rocks and even in wood piles. These toads eat a variety of foods such as worms, ants, spiders, mealworms, crickets, slugs and more. American toads hibernate during the winter. They will usually dig backwards and bury themselves in the dirt of their summer home, but they may also overwinter in another area nearby.

There is little doubt that in this latitude they normally pass the winter in the ground. Toads bury themselves for the winter or often for the day in loose earth. To do this they always go down backwards.

Why are frogs slimy? Some frogs are slimy because they are covered in a mucous coating. This coating helps them keep their skin moist which helps them breathe through their skin. The mucous often contains other chemicals, like antibacterial or anti fungals to help protect the frog.