But I Don't Have One: Double Boilers

It's inevitable: You're reading through a recipe and you get to that one part "...place dough in pasta machine...", "...whisk eggs...", "...melt in double boiler."  You sigh heavily and think, "well, I can't make this recipe."  Is that always true?  Introducing a new series dedicated to discussing kitchen equipment and how we can replicate fancy versions with what we already own.  In this first episode, we will be discussing Double Boilers.


What is a double boiler?

Double boilers consist of two receptacles that nest and sit upon a stove or other heating device.  Water is placed into the lower receptacle, while the top receptacle is reserved for, largely, edibles.


Awesome - what's it for?

Double boilers are used in situations calling for heating a substance by maintaining a very constant temperature to prevent burning.  In my house, it is almost exclusively used for melting chocolate, but some other good candidates would be sauces and fillings (i.e. my goat cheese ravioli filling).  Some folks also use a double boiler to melt wax, but since I can't eat that, I won't discuss it here.


Soooo, why can't I just put the stuff in a pan?

You sure could, but it would be much more susceptible to burning.  When you place items in a pan over a flame or other heat source, that heat is not terribly even - despite high-end ranges!  When using a double boiler, one relies on the heat produced by boiling water and the ensuing steam.  If we all think back to grade school, we might recall that water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a double boiler, this temperature is maintained in the steam being produced right below the top receptacle.  There is more science here (key terms: energy, state change), but I'll leave it at this for now.


Okay, I guess I'll go buy a double boiler.

That would be fine.  Many people own them.  A quick glance online tells me that you can find them mostly in the range of $30 - $50, with some cheaper low-end models and a few high-end models with a similarly impressive price tag.  Might be worth it to you.

On the other hand, you can easily create your own double boiler with a sauce pot and a bowl, thusly:

Homemade double boiler (stained stove top, optional)

Find a pairing that will allow room for water and steam between the bottom of the pot and the bottom of the bowl you place on top.  That is, you do not want a bowl that sits completely on, or even very close to the bottom of your pot.  You need room for the 212 degree steam to mill around in there.  One other thing to note is that, in this situation our top receptacle has no handles, therefore it is nice to have an oven mitt on hand (no pun intended!) in case you need to touch the bowl.  Also, because these two pieces were not specifically made to sit together and because the bowl is contoured, there can be some movement of the bowl in the pot if you are manipulating what is inside (i.e. stirring filling, dipping pretzels in chocolate).  This slipping is not often severe enough, however, to warrant more than mild attention - you aren't going to spill your chocolate: I would never endorse anything that did that!


Truth time: In my adult life, I have never owned a double boiler.  I have gotten along just fine with the setup you see above.  I have nothing against double boiler owners, either.  But now you know that not owning one won't preclude you from that "chocolate dipped" recipe.  You, too, can be melting (but not burning!) chocolate in minutes - and I recommend it.  Go ahead.  What are you waiting for?  Do it.