Water bath
The bain-marie or bain-marie (Latin, balneum Mariae) is a method of heating a liquid or solid substance, uniformly and slowly, immersing the container that contains it in a larger one with water or another liquid that is brought to a boil. It is a method known since ancient times, used in industries (pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and canning), in the chemistry laboratory and in the kitchen.
Concept
The concept of a water bath implies the indirect heating of the substance by thermal convection from the liquid medium (usually water).
To heat in a bain-marie, you have to introduce a small container in which the substance is deposited inside a larger one that contains a liquid and heat it at its base. In this way, the liquid contained in the larger container is heated first and this gradually heats the contents of the smaller container, in a gentle and constant way. It is essential that the inner (smaller) container be in contact with the liquid at all times for heat transmission to take place. It is very important that the smaller container does not touch the bottom of the larger container, but must "float", in this way it is guaranteed that the heat transfer is indirect and avoids reaching higher temperatures of the desired
Using different liquids (oils, saline solutions, etc.) in the large container, different working temperatures are obtained. When using water, the maximum temperature of the product in the upper container shall not exceed 100°C (boiling point of water at one atm pressure).
History and legend of the bain-marie
The invention of the water bath is attributed to the Egyptian alchemist Mary of Alexandria (3rd century), the first known alchemist.
Uses of the water bath
Through the bain-marie you can make desserts such as flans, puddings or pâté. It is an ideal method for heating delicate preparations, such as melting chocolate without burning or roasting, and it is the process used to make preserves. A clear example is the preparation of the hollandaise sauce, which requires controlled heat to prevent the egg yolks from solidifying in the process.
It can be cooked in a bain-marie over the fire or heat of a kitchen or in the oven and to obtain good results some points must be taken into account, such as not filling the container with water too much since when it starts to boil it could splash. It is always better to add hot water if necessary.
It can also be used to heat foods containing liquids such as soups or stews with gravy without placing them directly on a pan on the stove to prevent them from drying out or burning.