Toad in the Hole in the Air Fryer
Juicy, browned sausages baked into a golden-brown, crisp and fluffy Yorkshire pudding – everyday British food in one big dish from the air fryer. Served with a rich onion gravy.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Oven-safe dish About 20 x 20 cm, preferably metal – must fit in the basket
- 1 Measuring cup Large, about 1 litre, with a pouring spout
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Oven mitts
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pot For the onion gravy
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 8 pcs pork sausages Raw, about 500 g in total – e.g. Cumberland or chipolata
3 tbsp neutral oil For example rapeseed oil – or beef dripping for a classic British flavour
Yorkshire pudding batter
100 g plain flour
0.5 tsp salt
3 pcs eggs At room temperature
1.5 dl whole milk
3 sprigs fresh thyme Leaves only – or 1 tsp dried thyme
Onion gravy
2 pcs onions
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar Preferably soft brown sugar- 1 tbsp plain flour
4 dl beef stock Made from a stock cube or ready-made stock- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper To taste
Instructions
Preparation
- Whisk 100 g plain flour, 0.5 tsp salt and 3 pcs eggs together in a large measuring cup into a thick, lump-free mixture.
- Add 1.5 dl whole milk a little at a time while whisking, until the batter is smooth and has the same consistency as pouring cream. Stir the leaves from 3 sprigs fresh thyme into the batter.
- Cover the measuring cup and let the batter rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes while the sausages brown.
- Cut 2 pcs onions into thin slices for the onion gravy.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan for 3 minutes with the dish and 3 tbsp neutral oil in the basket.
- Place 8 pcs pork sausages in the hot dish with a little space between them, and turn them in the oil. Cook the sausages at 200 °C for 10 minutes, turning them halfway with tongs so they brown on all sides.
- Heat the dish for a further 3 minutes at 200 °C, until the fat is smoking hot. This is crucial for the result – the batter only rises if the fat sizzles when it hits the dish.
- Add the batter quickly: pull out the basket wearing oven mitts, give the batter a final whisk, and pour it over and around the sausages – it should sizzle. Slide the basket straight back in so the heat doesn't escape.
- Bake the toad in the hole at 200 °C for 20 minutes. Don't open the basket during baking – the cold air makes the batter collapse.
- Check that the batter has risen well and is golden brown and crisp at the edges. If it's lacking colour, bake for a further 2-3 minutes at 200 °C. The sausages should reach a core temperature of at least 75 °C – measure with a meat thermometer.
Onion gravy
- Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pot over medium heat while the sausages brown. Add the onions and 1 tsp sugar, and cook, stirring regularly, for about 15 minutes, until soft and golden brown.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp plain flour over the onions and stir for 1 minute.
- Whisk in 4 dl beef stock a little at a time, and add 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Let the gravy simmer for about 5 minutes, until it thickens, and season with salt and pepper.
Serving
- Serve the toad in the hole straight away – cut into 4 pieces, with the hot onion gravy on the side.
Notes
Tips for a perfect result:
The fat must be smoking hot before the batter goes in – it's the heat shock that makes the batter rise and turn crisp at the edges. Pour the batter in quickly and close the basket straight away. Don't open the basket while the batter is baking, or it will collapse. Use a dish with low sides, and make sure there's at least 5 cm of space up to the heating element, as the batter rises a lot. Variations:
Stir 1 tsp mustard or a handful of grated cheddar into the batter, or use spicy sausages such as Cumberland or Lincolnshire. Swap the thyme for fresh rosemary, or use red onion in the onion gravy for a sweeter flavour. Serving:
Serve toad in the hole with the onion gravy, mashed potato and green peas or steamed vegetables. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can cook it in two rounds in a smaller dish, or halve the recipe.
The fat must be smoking hot before the batter goes in – it's the heat shock that makes the batter rise and turn crisp at the edges. Pour the batter in quickly and close the basket straight away. Don't open the basket while the batter is baking, or it will collapse. Use a dish with low sides, and make sure there's at least 5 cm of space up to the heating element, as the batter rises a lot. Variations:
Stir 1 tsp mustard or a handful of grated cheddar into the batter, or use spicy sausages such as Cumberland or Lincolnshire. Swap the thyme for fresh rosemary, or use red onion in the onion gravy for a sweeter flavour. Serving:
Serve toad in the hole with the onion gravy, mashed potato and green peas or steamed vegetables. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can cook it in two rounds in a smaller dish, or halve the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 640kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 26gFat: 44gSaturated fat: 15gPolyunsaturated fat: 6gMonounsaturated fat: 20gTrans fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 230mgSodium: 1590mgPotassium: 570mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 350IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 2.5mgNet carbohydrates: 34g
