They’re not just for crème brûlée.
Though it is widely recognized as the signature baking dish for the caramelised French dessert, crème brûlée, the ramekin can be a go-to for so many of your food preparation and presentation needs. Here’s a rundown of what ramekins are and what they’re great at serving up.
What Is a Ramekin?
Best Uses for a Ramekin
Breakfast
Entrée
Dessert
A ramekin, also known as a soufflé dish, is a small bakeware vessel often used for preparing and serving individual portions. The classic ramekin is white and cylindrical with a diameter between 3" and 4". It has deep, vertical sides and a fluted exterior with a rounded lip. Though the white ceramic variety is most conventional, ramekins are available from Wayfair in a multitude of other novelty shapes, colors, and textures, so there’s no need to stick to the basics when choosing a set for your kitchen.
Though similar in name and function, the soufflé dish and the soufflé pan are in fact two different things; soufflé pans are much wider and shallower and are used for baking full-size soufflés. Ramekins can range from 2 oz. all the way to 12 oz. in volume, but are most commonly available in 6 oz. sets of four to twelve, which are perfect for entertaining guests.
Ramekins are designed to be as heat-resistant as possible, so they are often made of glazed stoneware, including ceramic or porcelain. That heat resistance is especially valuable when using a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar atop a crème brûlée. Ramekins can also be made of glass and some metals, such as aluminum, cast iron, and steel, but those materials are less heat-proof and shouldn’t come in direct contact with a flame.
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What Are Ramekins Used For?
As their alternate name would suggest, ramekins are ideal for baking single-serving soufflés. The light, airy egg whites in soufflés expand as they bake and travel upward along a ramekin’s vertical sides. Those vertical sides are what give soufflés their height and iconic puffed-out shape. While baking French desserts is certainly their specialty, ramekins’ versatility doesn’t stop there. You can use ramekins to organize ingredients before cooking to save yourself cleanup time and potentially avoid cross-contamination when working with raw animal products. Ramekins can be adorable as table dishes for smaller snacks, like nuts, veggie sticks, or dips. If you’re watching your junk food intake, eating snack foods and desserts out of ramekins can even help you with your portion control!
Here are some more ideas for what to make and serve in ramekins, from breakfast to dessert.
Breakfast
- Classic soufflés
- Oven-baked eggs
- Sandwich egg patties
- Oatmeal for one
- Baked French toast
- Muffins
Entrée
- Mini pot pies
- Single-serving soups
- Macaroni and cheese
- Twice-baked potatoes
- Casseroles
Dessert
- Crème brûlée
- Sweet soufflés
- Molten lava cakes
- Custard or flan
- Pudding
- Mini dessert pies or cobblers
- Mousse
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FAQs
A ramekin, also known as a soufflé dish, is a small bakeware vessel often used for preparing and serving individual portions. The classic ramekin is white and cylindrical with a diameter between 3" and 4". It has deep, vertical sides and a fluted exterior with a rounded lip.
What is a ramekin? ›
A ramekin is a small ceramic dish that's designed for baking traditional French desserts like soufflé or crème brûlée. They have many other uses as well—they can be filled with condiments for dipping, hold snacks, and be used to measure out ingredients for a recipe before cooking.
Can I use a cup instead of a ramekin? ›
Make sure they are oven-safe. 2> Mason Jars: Small mason jars or heatproof glass jars can be used for individual servings. Just ensure they are tempered for heat resistance. 3> Porcelain Cups: If you have porcelain cups or even coffee cups that are oven-safe, they can be used as well.
What is the difference between a bowl and a ramekin? ›
A: The primary difference between a ramekin and a bowl is that the former has straight sides, similar to a cup. On the contrary, the bowls have curved sides. Moreover, the ramekins are always oven-friendly. The bowls, on the other hand, may or may not be safe for the oven.
What size is an individual ramekin? ›
Ramekins come in a range of sizes, and they're generally designed to be a single portion. The size you choose will depend on the specific recipe. Common sizes range from a small ramekin of 4, 6, or 8 ounces to a large ramekin of 12 or 14 ounces.
What is another name for a ramekin? ›
A Ramekin by Any Other Name…
So, you may call them sauce cups, cheese pipkins, oyster cups, monkey dishes, or souffle cups. All of these items are often collectively referred to as “ramekins.”
Are ramekins worth it? ›
Ramekins are great for making individual portions and can be used with a variety of sweet and savory dishes. You can also use ramekins to serve food, which makes for a cute and delicious spread on any table.
Why do you put ramekins in water? ›
For crèmes brûlées, place ramekins in a roasting tin and add hot water to two-thirds of the depth of the sides of the ramekins. This method allows the heat to transfer to the custard gently and prevents curdling. The hot water also creates steam, helping to prevent the custard's surface from drying too much.
Do ramekins need to be greased? ›
Equipment you will need for this technique
Greasing the ramekin and coating it in sugar helps a soufflé rise evenly and gives it a golden edge. -Brush the ramekins with softened butter then dip into a bowl of caster sugar.
Can you use a muffin pan instead of ramekins? ›
If you like to make individual side dishes, quiches, and desserts, but don't enjoy unmolding each ramekin separately or dealing with little dishes scooting around the baking pan, try this. Both problems are solved when I use a muffin tin for the mold. Spray tin with nonstick spray.
Ramekins are designed to be as heat-resistant as possible, so they are often made of glazed stoneware, including ceramic or porcelain. That heat resistance is especially valuable when using a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar atop a crème brûlée.
Are there different sized ramekins? ›
Ramekins come in a variety of sizes for different use: 1 to 2 oz suitable for condiments such as tomato ketchup or mayonnaise. 3 to 5 oz suitable for sample dishes, canapes and condiments. 6 oz ideal for single serving desserts such as crème caramel, crème brulee etc.
Why is it called a ramekin? ›
The term is derived from the French ramequin, a cheese- or meat-based dish baked in a small mould. The French term is in turn derived from early modern Dutch rammeken, which translated to 'toast' or 'roasted minced meat', itself apparently from ram 'battering ram' + -kin 'diminutive', but it is unclear why.
What size is a 8 oz ramekin? ›
In regards to your question, the dimensions of the 8 ounce ramekin are 4 by 2 inches. The dimensions for the 10 ounce ramekins are 4.25 x 4.25 x 2.375 inches.
Can ramekins go in the microwave? ›
Since they are large enough to work for many types of dishes, we used them to serve soups, small chopped salads, and for dips and snacks. The ramekins are microwave-safe, but they did get very hot within a minute. We tested them for a couple of extra minutes, and they got super-hot.
What does a ramekin bowl look like? ›
Traditional ramekins are solid white, round, with a fluted texture covering the outside, and a small lip. However, there are many decorative ramekins that come in shapes of a heart, oval, or rounded square. They come in countless colours and finishes depending what they are needed for.
