Pam McKinstry of SVKitchen.com says they have been experimenting with ways to expand the functionality of their water oven, and using it as a bain marie has opened up all sorts of possibilities. A bain marie consists of one cooking vessel nestled inside another, the smaller of the two holding the food and the larger filled with a liquid, usually water. It's typically used in cooking situations where it's important to maintain an even temperature and avoid overheating. Sound familiar?
Traditional uses for a bain marie include custards and delicate sauces such as Hollandaise or Bearnaise. Her first experiment was with custard, and using her SousVide Supreme as a bain marie was easy and near-foolproof. She wanted to cook the custards in ramekins, so the only tricky part was elevating the cups above the SousVide Supreme's minimum water fill line so the water wouldn't swamp the custards. In the end, they simply improvised a rack that allowed her to control the water level so it came the desired two-thirds up the sides of the cups.
Pam loves all things ginger, and this custard is subtly infused with fresh ginger root. If ginger is not your thing, leave it out and add the seeds of a vanilla bean or some vanilla powder for a more classic custard. She likes to serve these custards as a creme brulee, but they're also delicious without the sugar topping. Although it's not traditional, Pam likes to serve them with a tropical fruit compote right on top of the creme brulee. The crunchy caramelized sugar, creamy custard, and chunks of fruit with their aromatic syrup come together in a texturally complex and tasty mouthful.
Ramekins or custard cups vary widely in size and capacity. For this recipe, make sure that the depth of the custard in the cup is no more than 1 inch. If the liquid is deeper than 1 inch, increase the cooking time.
Modernist Tools, Ingredients, and Techniques Used
If you would like more information about the modernist techniques, ingredients, and equipment used in the Sous Vide Ginger Crème Brulee you can check out the following.
Enjoying sous vide cooking? My free Sous Vide Quick Start course will help you get the most out of sous vide. You can start consistently creating amazing food with sous vide today!
Enjoying sous vide cooking? My sous vide ruler will help you determine how long to cook various pieces of meat. It's free if you sign up for my newsletter and will make your cooking go much more smoothly!
Cooking Instructions for Sous Vide Ginger Crème Brulee
For the Sous Vide Ginger Crème Brulee
At least 110 minutes before serving
Fill the water oven to the fill line. Arrange a rack so that it rests about a half-inch below the surface of the water. Place four empty ramekins or custard cups on the rack and check to see that the level of the water comes two-thirds up the sides of the cups. Remove the ramekins from the water oven, but leave the rack in place.
Preheat the water bath to 185°F (85°C).
Place the cream, milk, and ginger in a medium saucepan and heat over low heat until the mixture is hot. Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and discard the solids. Return the liquid to a clean saucepan and reheat until it is just hot; do not allow it to boil.
Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually whisk in the sugar and salt. Slowly whisk in the gingered cream. Divide the custard among the ramekins (2/3 cup per ramekin, unless your dishes are small). Cover each ramekin with a piece of plastic wrap and secure the plastic with a rubber band.
Set the ramekins on the wire rack, ensuring that the water comes two-thirds up the sides of the cups. If necessary, remove some of the water from the oven, or add more as needed. Cook for 50 minutes, then remove the ramekins and let them cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove the plastic wrap and let the custards cool completely. Refrigerate until cold. The custards can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days before serving.
To serve, spread a thin layer of sugar on top of each chilled custard and caramelize with a torch to make creme brulee. Top with some of the fruit compote, if using.
Want Great Sous Vide Recipes?
Healthy Sous Vide is the latest cookbook from Jason Logsdon, the best selling author of 10 sous vide and modernist cookbooks, and it shares many of his favorite recipes developed over the years so you can eat nutritious, flavor-packed meals that taste amazing. If you are a looking for a way to boost the flavor of your healthy meals, this book will help you create amazing food that your friends and family will love!
This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged cocktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.
Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links on this site might be affiliate links that if used to purchased products I might receive money. I like money but I will not endorse something I don't believe in. Please feel free to directly go to any products I link to and bypass the referral link if you feel uncomfortable with me receiving funds.
Like What You've Read?
If so, please join the more than 19,000 people who receive my exclusive newsletter and get a FREE COPY of my printable modernist ingredient cheatsheet. Just click on the green button below!
Get Started!
You're Almost Done!
Thanks for signing up! I look forward to sending you recipes, links, and exclusive content and offers that you can't find anywhere else on the site, and I'll send you a free copy of my modernist ingredient cheatsheet too!
Enter your first name and email below, and I'll see you on the inside!
You're On Your Way to Sous Vide Success!
Thanks for signing up! I look forward to guiding you through the process of discovering sous vide with amazing articles, recipes, and tips and tricks you can use to impress your friends and family by turning out amazing food time and time again!
Enter your first name and email below, and I'll see you on the inside!
Want to Level Up Your Sous Vide Game?
My FREE email course will help you make perfect meats, master searing, and discover the sous vide times and temperatures you need to make everyday food amazing...and impress your friends and family.
Cookie Consent
This website uses cookies or similar technologies, to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalized recommendations. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy