Page 195 - YC Cooking School

French Classics

yuppiechef.com/cooking-school.htm

Step by step guide to setting up a double boiler

1. Using a double boiler or a bain marie is the perfect way to make a delicate sauce like a
Hollandaise, which can change texture easily if the heat source is too intense. The double
boiler cooking technique ensures that you get a gentle, even, indirect heat that’s created
by the steam from the simmering water rather than the gas cooker or hotplate itself.

2. To set up your double boiler, you’ll need a pot or saucepan and a slightly smaller glass or
steel mixing bowl that fits snugly into it, so that the steam from the heated water can’t
escape.

3. Add water to the pot and fill it roughly to the halfway mark.

4. Make sure that the bottom of the smaller bowl doesn’t actually touch the water but
that it is just warmed by the steam.

5. The water in your pot should be gently simmering. If you let it boil rapidly, it will create
too much heat on the base of the glass or metal bowl, and you’ll run the risk of overcooking
your egg mixture.

Learn to cook online at learn.yuppiechef.com

1/1