Little toads

Makes 12 individual toad-in-the-holes — 250g strong white flour — 4 eggs, beaten — 400ml whole milk — 2-3 tbsp duck fat or dripping — 24 free-range pork cocktail sausages Preheat the oven to 220C/ 200C fan/gas mark 7.

Sift the flour into a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Combine the eggs, milk and 100ml water in a jug and whisk well. Gradually add half of the milk mixture to the flour while stirring, then use a whisk to beat out any lumps before adding the rest. Leave to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat one tablespoon of the duck fat in a frying pan over a medium heat. Lightly brown the cocktail sausages all over (they do not need to be cooked through) then remove them from the pan and set aside.

Put half a teaspoon of the fat into each recess in a 12-hole bun tray, then put it in the oven and heat until you can see white vapour rising. Transfer the pudding batter into a jug, then carefully bring out the bun tray and pour the mixture into each hole, to about halfway up. Quickly put the tray back in the oven and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the batter is beginning to set and rise at the edges. Take the tray out of the oven again and place two cocktail sausages in each pudding. Bake for another 10 minutes or so, until risen and golden.

These can be stored in a warm place, without drying out, for about 15 minutes.