Bain marie pot crack#

But it is the feature of using heated water to surround another container that provides the inspiration for what we now call a modern bain marie. This morphed into the French equivalent of “bain marie.” And it’s still in use today!Īs an alchemist, Mary’s original invention looks much more like lab equipment than something you would find in a restaurant (see image at right). The first mention comes in the form of medieval Latin with the term “ balneum Mariae” which translates to Mary’s bath. Almost all of what we know of her comes from the writings of others who mention her work and ideas.īut her name lives on in the form of her invention. Unfortunately, none of Mary’s writings survived directly. Mary was known as “ Mary the Jewess” and “ Mary the Prophetess” and she was an early alchemist. The words “bain marie” can be translated from the French as “ Mary’s bath.” So who is Mary?Īs it turns out, there actually was a Mary who lived somewhere between the 1st and 3rd centuries A.D. > Shop for Bain Maries > The Notorious History of the Term Bain Marie An alchemical balneum Mariae, or Maria’s bath, from Coelum philosophorum, Philip Ulstad, 1528, Science History Institute The container is placed in a cooling unit or surrounded by ice to keep foods fresh. This can be seen on salad bars that use bain maries for things like salad dressing. Bain maries are often used to keep foods cool as well as to heat them. The most common use for a modern bain marie is for food or ingredient holding. But it is still a delicate process and a waterlogged cheesecake is still a risk. This can be minimized by using tinfoil to line the pan. These types of pans are not one solid piece so leaking can occur. However, cheesecakes are often cooked in springform pans. By using a bain marie, the cheesecake can be cooked at a controlled temperature with moist heat.

Bain marie pot crack#

Cheesecakes are in the custard family and can crack on the top when exposed to dry heat. Some chefs use a water bath method for cooking cheesecakes. Melting chocolate is another popular use for a bain marie. When used for cooking, a bain marie is often used for delicate foods such as custards that are prone to crack using dry heat. They are common in many restaurants and have multiple applications. You’ve probably seen a bain marie even if you aren’t in the foodservice industry. Uses for a Bain Marie Engraving depicting Maria Prophetissima from Michael Maier’s book Symbola Aurea Mensae Duodecim Nationum (1617). A very typical, stainless steel bain marie for commercial use. The standard bain marie is round with a cylindrical shape, designed so that one pan can fit easily into another pan or into a water bath warming unit. They can be made of other materials such as ceramics, but these are not frequently used in a commercial setting.

This is a good conductor of heat and easy to clean and maintain. Most often, they are made from stainless steel. But in common restaurant uses, bain maries have evolved into some common forms. In this situation, the hot water bath is replaced by a cooling unit or an ice bed.īain maries can come in any number of shapes and sizes. So while its origins are focused on cooking and heating, modern bain maries are also commonly used to hold cold food items as well. The term itself has become more loosely used to describe the type of pan used. In essence, it is a heated bath that can be used both to cook food and to keep food warm over time. Another, smaller container is placed inside the first, heated by the water. Water is placed in one container and is heated. It is also sometimes referred to as a water bath.

So let’s start with the basics: What is a bain marie? Simply put, it is very similar to the traditional double-boiler. One our favorite mystifying names also has one of the most interesting back-stories: the Bain Marie. The restaurant industry has a lot of obscure terms that often confuse even experienced chefs.