Can a water bath be used to bake brownies?
I've never used a water bath when baking, but I know that people use it for baking cheese cakes (i.e., placing the cheese-cake form in a container with water), so I was wondering if the same concept could be used for brownies.
Whenever I bake brownies, all the edges become a bit too hard from overcooking. This is not a huge problem because it's only about a centimetre from the edge, and I just cut it off, but I was wondering if a water bath could help.
My main concern is whether the water evaporating would make the environment in the oven too humid and interfere with the batter. I would think the same thing about cheese cakes, but the fact that many people are doing that means it's OK in that case.
Edit for clarification: the rest of the brownie is cooked just right, so I'm less keen to change other variables like temperature and time. I've also started wondering about this because I'm aware of the ability of water to distribute and soften the effect of heat. For example, if I try to defrost meat in the microwave, it will start cooking on the outside before it defrosts in the centre; but if I microwave it in a bowl of water, it defrosts evenly.
Best Answer
For cheese cakes water bath makes more sense cause you want to avoid burning of the batter by keeping the heat contact directly from the tray.
For brownies the contact of the hot plate is required, and that is how you get a little solid outer part.
When you try to water bath brownies, they would have more or less like cheese cake texture, I actually tried it.
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Quick Answer about "Can a water bath be used to bake brownies?"
Meanwhile, prepare a water bath: Pour ice water into a large roasting pan or kitchen sink to a depth of about 1 inch. Remove pan from oven and place in water bath, being careful not to splash water on brownies. Let cool completely, then lift out and cut into 1-inch squares or wrap in foil.Should I bake brownies in water bath?
The magical method involves baking the brownies at a hight temperature for about 20 minutes, then dunking the pan in an ice bath, which arrests the cooking from the outside in, and very quickly at that.What happens if you bake a cake in a water bath?
As a general rule, putting water in the oven in the form of a water bath will provide the necessary moisture when baking a cake. This moisture prevents the cake from being dry and crumbly. Water can also help distribute heat evenly throughout the baking process.Can you cook in bath water?
Using a water bath, or bain-marie, is a great technique to learn for helping more delicate bakes, such as cheesecakes, bake perfectly evenly.Can I bake with hot water?
A water bath is simply a pan of hot water placed in the oven, and using this method has two benefits when baking. First, a water bath adds moisture to the oven and this is important for baking foods like cheesecakes, which tend to crack from the heat of the oven, or custards which can become rubbery without moist heat.The Biggest Mistakes Everyone Makes When Baking Brownies
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