On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 190

culprits are juices that leak out of the plant tissue, and fibrous particles, which cause local overcoagulation of egg proteins The juice leakage can be reduced by precooking the fruit or vegetable, and including some flour in the mix to help bind excess liquid and minimize overcoagulation These dishes are best cooked very gently and only until barely done Cooking Cooks have known for thousands of years that a low cooking temperature provides the greatest safety margin for making custards: that is, it gives us more time to recognize that the dish is properly done and remove it from the heat, before it toughens and tunnels Custards are usually baked in a moderate oven with the protection of a water bath, which keeps the effective cooking temperature below the boiling point The actual temperature depends on the pan material and whether and how the water bath is covered (see box) It’s a mistake to cover the whole water bath, since this forces the water to the boil and makes it more likely that the custards will be overcooked The most gentle heating results when the individual molds are set covered on a rack in an open, thin metal pan of hot water Custard doneness can be judged by bumping the dish — the contents should move only sluggishly — or by probing the interior with a toothpick or knife, which should return without any mix clinging to it When the proteins have coagulated enough that the mix clings mostly to itself, the dish is done Unless the custard needs to be firm enough to unmold, it’s best taken from the oven while the center is still slightly underdone and jiggly The egg proteins continue to set somewhat with the residual heat, and the custard will in any case be firmer once cooled to serving temperature “Ribboning” Yolks with Sugar ... the center is still slightly underdone and jiggly The egg proteins continue to set somewhat with the residual heat, and the custard will in any case be firmer once cooled to serving temperature “Ribboning” Yolks with Sugar... molds are set covered on a rack in an open, thin metal pan of hot water Custard doneness can be judged by bumping the dish — the contents should move only sluggishly — or by probing the interior with a toothpick or knife, which should return... When the proteins have coagulated enough that the mix clings mostly to itself, the dish is done Unless the custard needs to be firm enough to unmold, it’s best taken from the oven while the center is still slightly underdone and