It seems there’s a new pizza ingredient that trends on TikTok, or other social platforms, on a daily basis. In the U.K. recently, it’s been Yorkshire pudding. That’s right: The classic British dessert is being used as a vessel on which to make pizza.
Surrey Live recently reported on a viral Yorkshire Pudding Pizza video that amassed over 1.3 million views on Facebook. The recipe combines Aunt Bessie’s Gigantic Yorkshire Pudding with cheese and tomato sauce for what’s being dubbed, in a very British categorization, a “quick and fun tea-time meal.” Aunt Bessie’s is a UK frozen-foods company.
Reactions from Facebook commenters ran the gamut: Some endorsed the mash-up, while others held their noses.
One Facebook user lauded the pudding pizza as “the best two things to exist combined.” The user’s friend chimed in: “Would love this quick and easy as well.”
Another commenter summed up the mixed emotions nicely: “Unsure of this,” they wrote. “So [I] might have to try it!!!”
Aunt Bessie’s weighed in, releasing a statement from Andy Dale, senior brand manager, that said, “We’re thrilled to see the passionate response to our Yorkshire Pudding Pizza recipe. At Aunt Bessie’s, we believe in celebrating both tradition and innovation in British cuisine.”
“Our Yorkshire Pudding Pizza is a delightful twist that combines the best of both worlds, offering a quick and easy but also unique and delicious option for mealtimes,” Dale’s statement continued. “We encourage everyone to give it a try—you might just be pleasantly surprised!”
In honor of National Cheese Day on September 5, the company also released a video breaking down how to make a Yorkshire Pudding Pizza.
Whether there’s an opportunity for U.S.-based pizzaioli to get in on the action is a matter of opinion. It should be noted, however, that the recent social media surge may not be a flash in the coal-fired oven: Online recipes for Yorkshire Pudding Pizza date back to at least 2018.