[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Brit-Speak: Food and bonfires

[Rebecca K Hubbard]

> Yb:
 
> You were close: my method involves putting a pan in the oven, with 
paper towels covering the bottom, and filling it about half full 
with water. Then put the pudding (in its own dish, of course) in the 
pan of water and bake for about 75 minutes. The trick is making
> sure the water doesn't splash; and fishing the dish out of the pan 
is easier said than done, as well.



Dudemom_2000:

 

Excellent answer Yb! For some other interesting tidbits try this 
site:  http://www.foodreference.com/html/artbainmarie.html
My mother always baked her custards in a Bain Marie but she did not 
put a towel down in the pan. She placed the custard cups into the 
larger pan (which was already on the rack in the oven) and then 
carefully poured hot water from the tea kettle into the larger pan 
and then baked it. Can you tell me why you use the towel and if you 
think there are any advantages to it over not using one? In a way 
this is also like a double boiler except that the custard or pudding 
is immersed in the water partially. With a double boiler the water 
below does not touch the pan above - it allows a gentle heating of 
certain more delicate foods like chocolate, custards and sauces so 
they don't scorch. If anyone has a double boiler try this recipe:
http://www.foodreference.com/html/maplebreadpudding.html

My personal winter favorite is cornmeal mush made in the double 
boiler! It comes out so smooth and lump free. 

 

 

Yb again:

I use it primarily because if the bottom of the dish I use (a glass 7x11
baking dish, or something like that.) 

touches the hot bottom of the pan I'm using for the bain-marie, it could
make the bottom of the pudding 

cook too fast and subsequently burn, which wouldn't be very tasty. "The
Joy of Cooking" (my main cookbook) 

recommends the paper towels on the bottom for custards as well. See my
dish is actually in the water, 

submerged about 2/3 of the way up the sides. That's why digging the
thing out is so difficult (and potentially 

painful).

 

~Yb

 



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