Introduction
Toad in the hole is a beloved British dish, but can it be cooked in an air fryer? We took the popular gadget for a spin to find out.
The appeal of air fryers
Air fryers have become increasingly popular among families looking to save money on their energy bills. They are known for being cost-effective and quick to cook with.
An average 1,000W air fryer costs just 7p to run for 15 minutes, while an oven with an average wattage of 2,000W costs 14p for the same duration.
My air fryer
I purchased my air fryer, a Tower Vortx T17024, in 2021 after seeing countless positive reviews on social media. It has a capacity of 4.3 litres, perfect for two people, and uses 1500W of energy.
Cooking the toad in the hole
I found a simple air fryer recipe on Tesco's Real Food website and gave it a try. The recipe had minimal ingredients and a total cooking time of 30 minutes, much quicker than using an oven.
Using a disposable cake liner sprayed with Fry-Light, I cooked the sausages for seven minutes. Then, I prepared a four-ingredient batter and poured it over the sausages. After setting the fryer for another 15 minutes, the dish was ready.
Taste test and cost comparison
I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the toad in the hole cooked in the air fryer. The batter was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, just like the oven-baked version. The only complaint was that the sausages were slightly undercooked.
According to calculations by Uswitch, the entire meal cost just 17p to cook in the air fryer, compared to 46p in an oven. Over the course of a year, using the air fryer for this dish would cost £7.80, while an oven would cost £23.92.
The verdict
Cooking toad in the hole in an air fryer was easy, quick, and affordable. The dish turned out delicious, and the cleanup was minimal thanks to the disposable cake liner. While the savings may not be as significant for larger families, using an air fryer is still cheaper and faster than using an oven.
It's important to note that using a larger air fryer can yield even greater savings. For example, using an 8L fryer would cost 24p for 30 minutes, compared to an oven which costs 46p. However, using a smaller air fryer for two separate portions can actually be more expensive than using an oven.
Other air fryer experiments
In addition to toad in the hole, we also tried making a DIY Greggs pasty in a bargain gadget from B&M, which turned out to be delicious and cost-effective. We also attempted making a roast dinner in an air fryer, with successful results.
