Tips
The Bain-Marie
Leave it to the French to come up with a quaint, charming name for each and every cooking technique under the sun. A bain-marie can refer to any type of setup whereby a preparation is gently cooked or reheated when its cooking vessel is placed in hot water. A double boiler is one type of bain-marie; so are the large serving-warming dishes you see at cafeterias and catered events. In the case of this flan recipe, the bain-marie is a baking or gratin dish partially filled with water to distribute the heat in the ramekins during baking. Many recipes for loaves, flans, mousses, and similarly textured preparations call for this method. It’s important not to allow the water to boil while baking custard; otherwise, condensation may fall back into the ramekins and ruin the custard’s uniform, balanced texture, defeating the purpose of the whole exercise. The best way to accomplish this is to bring the water to a boil first, reduce the heat to a simmer, and then pour the water carefully into the bain-marie. Adding a layer of paper towel or newspaper to the bottom of a bain-marie for baking is recommended: it protects the custard from harsh heat.
