Very often, when reading a recipe for a cream, a gentle dough or a cosmetic mask, we come across the expression “water bath”. It would seem that everyone knows from childhood what it is, but, nevertheless, the question of how to make a water bath correctly does not lose its relevance, especially for young housewives who are just beginning to grasp the basics of culinary art.
So, let's try to understand the intricacies of this process. The first question is when and why is a water bath needed. It is worth paying attention to just such a method of heating and cooking in those cases when:
- it is required to melt products sensitive to high temperatures in such a way as to prevent them from burning and sticking to the walls of the dishes. Using a water bath, chocolate, butter or a soap base for home soap making is melted.
- It is necessary to heat any ingredients to a relatively low temperature (50-60 °). This is often necessary in the manufacture of masks for hair or face, which include natural oils - when heated, they are better absorbed and have a much more noticeable effect.
- It is necessary to prepare decoctions or infusions of herbs, without losing a large number of useful ingredients that are destroyed by boiling.
- There is a need to heat foods prone to structural changes under the influence of temperature - yolk, gelatin, etc.
In all the above cases, as in a number of others, it is very important to know how to make a water bath. There are also subtleties and rules, knowledge of which will help to avoid common mistakes.
First of all, a water bath will work out well if the dishes are selected correctly, but this is not all the details that are worth paying attention to.
- The bottom pan or bowl should have a thick bottom and, if possible, thick walls. In this case, the boil will not be so violent and drops of water will not fall into the mass you are preparing.
- Be sure to cover the bottom of the bottom utensil with a clean towel made of linen or cotton - this will make the boil even smoother, namely it is the key to how to make a water bath.
- The top dishes should be of such a diameter that its bottom touches the water column, but the walls remain in the air. In this situation, the effect will be maximum - the upper bowl will be treated with hot steam, and practically no water will touch it. Pick up the dishes that fit each other in advance, and remember this “pair” - the next time you save time on finding suitable vessels.
- A water bath at home involves constantly stirring the mixture in the upper bowl. This helps to control all changes in consistency and not to miss the moment when the bowl will need to be removed from the heat.
- You should lower the bowl into a large pan only after boiling water in it, otherwise the process of heating the prepared mixture will be disrupted, and the result may turn out to be completely different than we would like.
- When preparing decoctions of medicinal plants, you can not stir the mixture continuously, since burning will not happen here. It is better to cover it with a lid to prevent the essential oils from evaporating, which are often the main active ingredients of traditional medicine.
- If the diameter of the upper dishes almost coincides with the lower pan, you should first worry about how it can be pulled out after heating. It may be worth hanging it above the water with a thick thread or making improvised handles if there are none.
These are the basic rules regarding how to make a water bath without making mistakes. But even if something doesn’t work right the first time, don’t worry. Two - three times - and you will develop the necessary skill that allows you to do everything easily and quickly.