Using a Water Bath for Pots de Crème

A water bath, or bain-marie, moderates heat around custard cups and helps the edges cook gently while the center sets.

Set up the bath safely

1. Use oven-safe custard cups and a deep roasting pan. Place the cups in the pan with space between them.
2. Follow the custard recipe for water temperature and depth. About halfway up the cups is common, but the recipe governs.
3. To reduce spills, place the roasting pan on the oven rack before carefully adding water. Keep water out of the custards.
4. Bake to the recipe’s doneness and food-safety cues. Use dry oven mitts and avoid carrying a full hot bath unnecessarily; remove cups carefully with suitable tools and let the water cool before moving the pan.

Read the full recipe

A bath reduces harsh heat but cannot prevent overcooking indefinitely. Timing depends on cup size, custard depth, and oven temperature. See Earl Grey pots de crème for its complete ingredient quantities and baking method.