What is Bain-Marie?

Some food is perfect when fried, boiled, steamed, and grilled. For different cuisines or dishes, there are appropriate cooking methods. Desserts are the most technical when it comes to preparation, and we all know that when it comes to desserts, it is not only about frying or baking, especially when talking about delicate products. Some well-known desserts require a technique called a bain-marie.

If you are not acquainted with culinary terms, you might wonder about the bain-marie. Of course, you are just to pots, pans, steamers, and fryers, but this might be a discovery. A Bain maries is a cooking method that uses a water bath heated to a proper temperature to cook soft dishes or desserts like mousse or custard or any food with such consistency. The adequate warmness of the water helps in cooking the food evenly and thwarts unnecessary thickening or breakdown of the food.

Containers used for this process conduct heat, are oven-safe and can accommodate water inside to produce steam. Usually roasting pans, baking dishes, casserole dishes are ideal for the bain-marie technique. Other pans may not function well in this technique and lead to food being unevenly cooked or overdone.

Aside from cooking soft foods, this method is also applicable in retaining the warmth of foods. There are food warmers especially designed for the bain-marie.

The Bain-marie method is also ideal when there is a need to rewarm food products and preserve their consistency, like thick soups.

Another practical use for this technique is when slowly liquefying food products like chocolate or margarine. This way, the food won’t be burnt or overcooked.

The Origin of Bain-Marie

At first, bain-marie was meant for experiments in chemistry. They needed this technique to gently and gradually warm chemicals. Who would have thought that a technique used for science can be beneficial in the culinary world?

The etymology of the term bain-marie is a Latin term which means “Mary’s bath.”

How to Apply this Technique

When cooking food through the bain-marie method, for example, crème Brulee, you will need a container, like a baking dish with higher sides than the smaller containers where you will place the raw custard. Arrange the small containers and then carefully pour the boiled water inside the baking dish until the water reaches midway of the smaller containers. Bring the baking dish with the smaller containers to the oven for the baking process. While cooking, keep an eye on the bain-marie. Observe if the water is boiling because it might mean that the oven’s heat is too high. Check if the water level is still okay or you might end up with a totally evaporated container which may affect the consistency of the crème Brulee.

Following this method carefully will give a perfect outcome with no cracks or curds because the water blocks the heat from directly reaching the food. This will ensure a gradual and even cooking of the food.