Meet the Leeds lass who taste tests Yorkshire puddings for a living

Alana Czech, from Pudsey, holds the enviable position of official Yorkshire pudding taster for supermarket chain Asda.

Asda stores now sell 1.2million of the battered delicacies each year, and it's Alana's job to sample new recipes and make sure the products are up to standard.

All of the chain's puds are made in Yorkshire, and sales of the frozen variety have doubled in recent years.

“Customers have cottoned on that the quality of frozen Yorkshires are actually excellent because they are made to traditional recipes and freshly frozen straight after being pre-cooked," said Alana.

“This means they are ready to pop in the oven just when you want them and can be cooked within just 5-10 minutes – which is much quicker and easier than making them from scratch.”

Research by Asda found that around 40 per cent of Yorkshire puddings are no longer eaten on a Sunday alongside a traditional roast dinner.

“Yorkshire puddings are amazingly versatile! Thanks to more adventurous tastes and the internet, people are discovering new ways to enjoy them beyond the traditional Sunday roast – they make a fantastic alternative to naan bread, served with curry.

“They are also becoming popular at breakfast – filled with bacon and eggs, or beans, or even with jam and marmalade.

“Lots of people use them as an alternative to carbohydrates, making them great filler to any meal.

They also make a great snack, simply with some gravy – or if you’re feeling adventurous, sprinkled with sugar or chocolate sauce. The list is endless – they truly are Yorkshire’s very own super food.”

The first Yorkshire pudding recipe is thought to date back to 1747 and was drafted by Hannah Glasse, an English cookery writer in the 18th century – whom Alana describes as a 'Nigella Lawson of her day.'

“There is quite a bit of debate about size – and obviously the giant Yorkshire pudding was popular for a while.

“However, I’m on the traditional side of things and I’d say that the ‘perfect pudd’ should be just about big enough to fit a tennis ball inside.

“They seem to taste better and hold their consistency – plus you can pick them up with your hand, too!”