Bain-marie
A bowl sits in a pan of hot water, so a custard heats gently and evenly.
What to do
- Set the smaller pan in a larger one. The water should reach halfway up the mixture, not into it.
- The water can be hot. It does not need to boil over the rim.
- Stir. Heat comes from the sides, so the edge thickens before the middle.
A common slip. Water in the custard thins it. And a small pan sitting on a hard boil against the outer base cooks too fast.