In English-speaking kitchens this cooking method is known as a water bath, a double boiler, or by its French name: bain-marie. A two-handled, tall and narrow pot (generally about an inch taller than its diameter) is inserted into a second, slightly larger pot. The food to be cooked is placed in the first pot, and the other one contains an amount of hot liquid, usually water. This cooking method is used especially for sauces or mixtures that usually contain eggs and shouldn’t be subjected to high temperatures, or it is used to heat them without altering them.

Cooking in a bain-marie can take two forms: either immersion, with a cooking container immersed in boiling water, or steam, where the cooking container is set on a trivet on the bottom of a second container with a small amount of water. As the water heats, it forms steam. This method can also be used in the oven.  

The best-known recipe using the bain-marie technique is zabaglione, a sweet and frothy cream based on eggs, sugar and a liqueur wine that may be enjoyed alone or as an ingredient in other desserts.