but it turns out a double boiler is a useful item to have in the kitchen! While making my lemon mirengue cupcakes awhile back, the mirengue recipe called for a double boiler. Or maybe it was the lemon filling. Anyway, how was I supposed to know what a double boiler was? (My mother is cringing right now, I'm sure.)
Wikipedia says: " A double boiler is a stovetop apparatus used to cook delicate sauces such as beurre blanc or to melt chocolate without burning or seizing. It is a double-decker saucepan with an upper vessel that fits into a lower pot.
One fills the bottom with boiling water and places the food to be cooked in the top one. The top pot is kept above the boiling water and heated only by steam, but tight fitting of the two pots prevents steam from escaping."
A beurre WHAT-Y?
Above is Sur La Table's double boiler for $199.95. Yikes! More like double broke if you ask me. One day I'll have money to drop on a d.b. at sir la tay-ble (that's what I called it when I first saw it....) but for now, my home-made one worked great!
Hope you enjoyed my little lesson...I'm going to attempt to balance my cupcake posts with entertaining "anecdoughtes" from my kitchen! By the way, if you think my hand looks a little mannish, you're right! That hand belongs to Mr. Doughdough.
Your substitution works great...now you can melt chocolate and all that fun stuff...just be careful removing the bowl from the pot!
ReplyDeleteHey Dough-Dough! This is the Dread Pirate Captain (Dan)! Just wanted to say that we saw your TV spot, and we love your blog! I especailly love that you are so honest and humble, not trying to be one of those boring, stuffy expert types. Keep it up! We are pulling for you to get on Ellen, too. Maybe she will even spring for a double-broiler for you, lol.
ReplyDeleteDoughdough, I gotta say wowzers on your double-boiler idea because I'm in the same boat here in South Africa. They cost virtually the rent, so no way I can afford to splash on one of those puppies until my little cupcake business takes off. And right now I'm still at "birthing" phase. So, thanks for your kewl tip on the cheap d.b. route!
ReplyDeleteMarcia