Mini toad-in-the-holes

Mini toad-in-the-holes

By Barney Desmazery
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(25 ratings)
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Prep: 20 mins Cook: 35 mins

Easy

Makes 12 (will feed a family of 4)

BBC Good Food magazine food editor Barney adapts this classic sausage recipe to cook with his daughter Maisie

Nutrition and extra info

  • Freezable

Nutrition: per toad-in-the-hole

  • kcal193
  • fat11g
  • saturates4g
  • carbs16g
  • sugars4g
  • fibre1g
  • protein7g
  • salt1g
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Ingredients

  • 24 uncooked cocktail sausages
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
    Sunflower oil

    Sunflower oil

    Sunflower oil is made from pressing sunflower seeds and extracting the oil. It's usually…

  • 3 eggs (this will be 150ml)
    Eggs

    Egg

    egg

    The ultimate convenience food, eggs are powerhouses of nutrition packed with protein and a…

  • 150ml plain flour
  • ½ tsp mustard powder (optional)
  • 150ml milk

    Milk

    mill-k

    One of the most widely used ingredients, milk is often referred to as a 'complete' food…

  • 12 small rosemary sprigs
    Rosemary

    Rosemary

    rose-mar-ee

    Rosemary's intense, fragrant aroma has traditionally been paired with lamb, chicken and game…

For the cheat's gravy

  • 3 tbsp red onion marmalade
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
    Mustard

    Mustard

    muss-tard

    A condiment made by mixing the ground seeds of the mustard plant with a combination of…

  • squeeze of ketchup
  • 500ml beef stock made with 1 stock cube
  • small splash of soy sauce
    Soy sauce

    Soy sauce

    soy sor-s

    An Asian condiment and ingredient that comes in a variety of of varieties ranging from light to…

Method

  1. KIDS the writing in bold is for you. GROWN-UPS the rest is for you. Cut the sausages with scissors. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 6. If the sausages are linked, get your child to use a pair of scissors to cut them into single sausages.

  2. Count the sausages. Place 2 sausages in each hole of a 12-hole muffin tin and go through all the maths this involves – two times table, counting up in twos etc. Drizzle each set of sausages with a little oil. Children from about seven upwards can now place the tin in the oven for 20 mins until the sausages have browned, getting a grown-up to turn the sausages halfway through.

  3. Crack some eggs. Over a small bowl, get the child to hold the egg in one hand, then tap it with a cutlery knife until it just cracks. Then get them to put down the knife and open the egg into the small bowl. You can now check for any bits of shell before tipping it into a larger bowl. Repeat with all the eggs – this should keep them busy.

  4. Make a batter. Get the child to measure 150ml flour in a measuring jug and tip into a bowl with the mustard powder. Make a well in the centre and beat in the eggs. Measure the milk.

  5. Pour in the milk. Gradually pour the milk into the batter – get the child to whisk well between each addition – until you have a mix that is the consistency of double cream. Season. Pour the batter back into the jug.

  6. Sizzle the batter. Remove the sausages from the oven and place on a heatproof surface. Very carefully, and making sure that they don’t touch the hot tin, get the child to pour the batter over the sausages and throw a sprig of rosemary into each hole. Only get children aged seven upwards to do this. A grown-up needs to place them back in the oven.

  7. Cook in the oven. Leave the batter to cook for 15 mins undisturbed. But if your oven has a clear glass door, let the kids watch the batter rise. Remove the tin from the oven. Leave to cool for a few mins, then serve with gravy, mash and vegetables.

  • Recipe Tip

    Make the gravy first

    Heat the marmalade in a small saucepan, then stir in the flour and mustard powder, and cook for a few mins. Stir in the ketchup, then add the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 mins, then add the soy sauce to taste. This can be made in advance and chilled.

  • Recipe Tip

    To make a larger toad-in-the-hole

    If you want to make a more traditional toad-in-the-hole, cook 8 large sausages in a medium roasting tin for 20 mins until browned. Make the batter in exactly the same way, pour it over and cook for 35-40 mins until puffed up.

  • Recipe Tip

    Use your batter for perfect pancakes

    As well as Yorkshire puddings, if you leave out the mustard powder, this batter makes perfect pancakes. Simply make as stated, then sizzle ladlefuls in foaming butter until golden on each side. Serve with lemon and sugar.

  • Recipe Tip

    What skills can kids learn from Maisie's toad-in-the-hole?

    CRACKING EGGS: A foundation task to so many recipes so it’s one well worth teaching properly – then your child can get involved every time you need an egg cracking. The method of cracking the eggs into a small bowl first and checking no shell shrapnel has fallen in will guarantee you won’t have any crunchy surprises. USING THE OVEN: If you have an electric oven, there is no reason why children of seven can’t turn it on to the correct setting and temperature, and place the cold tin carefully in the oven. This teaches them about temperature and also involves them every time something is baked or roasted. Even if you are handling a cold tin, always use oven gloves.

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Comments, questions and tips

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drhelen
13th Jan, 2018
5.05
I just love Barney's recipes and this one didn't disappoint. I made it with my two year old and four year old and it was a big hit. We used quorn sausages so slightly reduced the cooking time beforehand but didn't make any other changes. So nice to find another recipe my four year old can really get involved with.
allielovetocook
4th Apr, 2016
4.05
I used this recipe simply because it was by Barney, and I know from experience how successful his recipes can be - plus it meant I could use some of my homemade red onion marmalade. Made as a large Yorkshire instead of individuals, with standard-sized sausages. Very successful recipe, rose beautifully and was crispy on top, soft but cooked below. The gravy was unexpectedly good - although I found it a little too sweet, but that's down to my homemade marmalade no doubt.
joeyp110uk@goog...
13th Jan, 2015
5.05
Fantastic! Made with my 3 year old daughter and had loads of fun. Yorkshire puddings were perfect and the gravy delicious. Going to cook again but hide meat for a mini roast dinner inside!
robso.car
19th Aug, 2014
5.05
This is amazing! First time I've attempted any type of Yorkshire pudding and it turned out PERFECTLY! We mostly eat vegetarian so used veggie sausages instead of pork, just adjusting the cooking time a tiny bit - 3 minutes in the oven without the batter, then 15 minutes with the batter. I am SO happy with this recipe - my husband has been going on and on about how his mother took years to perfect her Yorkshire pudding, and so was gobsmacked when I got it right first time and outdid the mother in law. Woohoo!!
oscarisla2912
5th May, 2014
5.05
These are just lovely and the gravy is delicious. My three year old is currently tucking into them and ive just heard a "mmmm" so they must be good...
Miss FunnyFace
30th Mar, 2014
5.05
Made this for tonight's dinner for me and my boyfriend. I had never made toad in the hole before and this was a major hit!! Fantastic dish!! I used apple jam instead of marmalade in the gravy (just because we didn't have the latter), and this worked fine I also added some onion to the gravy to use it up and served the dish with mashed sweet potato and some cabbage! Will definitely be making this again ^^
owenbartley1
28th Mar, 2014
5.05
Lovely
helenthom's picture
helenthom
9th Mar, 2014
5.05
My 9yr old son made these for us tonight. He was well chuffed with himself. The yorkshires were fab, not at all soggy, just nice and crispy and just the way we like them. Will definitely be letting him cook these for us again.
balck777's picture
balck777
2nd Mar, 2014
5.05
Really enjoyed this. I have a history of failed Yorkshire puddings but this worked a treat! We used larger muffin trays and cooked for 20 mins, and made our own gravy.
jdaveney
3rd Dec, 2013
Excellent recipe, really easy and went down a treat.

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