Kate Connally wrote:

> Everybody says you have to make sure all the ingredients,
> especially the eggs, are room temperature or it won't rise.
> Well, I think the only thing you need is the Yorkshire pudding
> gene. I have a friend whose YP never rises inspite of her
> following the recipe carefully and exactly. Me, I've never
> bothered to let the stuff come to room temp. and I've never
> had a problem. I think I have the gene and she doesn't.
> There is also a "cream puff" gene, which if you don't have it
> you will never be able to make pate choux where the bottoms
> don't fall out. Those of us who have the gene can make it
> right on the first try and every time thereafter. It's
> genetics!
>
> Kate
>

I don't know about everybody insisting the eggs be room temperature. The
recipe I use says to whip u the batter ahead of time and keep it in the
fridge. Besides, I can't see what difference the temperature of the eggs is
going to make if you add cold milk to them. That is going to cool of the
eggs anyway. Truth of the matter is that some of the best Yorkies I have
made, those with the most spectacular rise, were done at the last minute.
But I know what your friend is going through. Sometimes even the same
precise procedure will get different results. FWIW, the recipe that I use
with fairly consistent good results has three eggs in it.

As for choux pastry, that I one think I keep thinking of doing. My wife, who
is not much of a baker has made them several times. My mother used to make
chocolate eclairs at least once a month. I had a cousin who worked in a
dairy and he used to drop by once in a while with a few quarts of whipping
cream, and my mother thought eclairs were a good way to use up the cream. I
have to say that it is hard to get excited about commercial eclairs when you
have been raised with the home cooked variety. The choux pastry is usually
pretty good, but they just aren't the same when filled with pastry cream or
artificial whipped cream (edible oil products).