Quote Originally Posted by KukriKhan
The whole idea (if I get it right) is: scare it to death (by sudden immense heat), then gently, slowly... No really, very slowly.. cook.

Let fermentation and (rot) do its job.
IA has the right of it (as one would expect).

Mind you, there's no fermentation involved as far as I understand. Are you planning a bed (the batter filling the roasting tin and then being cut up into squares in the traditional manner) or little patties (individual puddings poured into a cake tin)? The first is the best, and soaks up the juices better - which is what puddings were originally designed to do.

For numbers, 225 degrees Celsius is recommended (425 F, Gas Mark 7) ie real hot. As IA notes, good beef dripping into the roasting tin (two to three tablespoons worth depending on size of tin). Put it in the oven for ten minutes till it's smoking - our housekeeper used to do this over direct heat, but she's a looney and I suspect one's curtains would smell of burnt cow for weeks. Pour in the batter, spread it around and back into the oven for about 30-35 minutes until golden brown. The centre is allowed to be soft as this is designed to catch the juices.

If you insist on the individual ones, the cooking time should be shortened. Hannah refuse to tell me to what, as she doesn't want to offer any encouragement towards that route.