My Opinion on Emile Henry Ceramic Products

Patricia, from the blog Sabores y Momentos , talks to us this time about some products that she knows well and loves. Patricia has been using Emilo Henry moulds and other ceramic utensils in her recipes for a long time, so I thought it would be interesting for her to share her experience and advice on our blog.

Today I come with a somewhat different post, as I am not bringing you just one recipe… Instead, you will find many in this article and I am not suggesting just one product from the store's catalogue… Instead, I am going to introduce you to a brand that is one of my favourites in my kitchen. I want to introduce you to a material that has been one of my companions in the kitchen for many years and without which many of my recipes would not have had the flavour and texture that I look for when I prepare them for my family: Emile Henry ceramics.

I discovered this brand when I was still living abroad, at the home of a French friend, with whom I loved sharing recipes. When I saw the different moulds, trays and cocottes that they had, I fell in love, they were beautiful. But when I tried to cook different dishes in them and all with perfect release, textures at their best and cooking methods that preserved the flavours and ingredients, I decided that this would be one of my first purchases when I finally settled somewhere specific and had my own kitchen! And so it was, for my wedding I received a couple of pieces as gifts from friends who already knew of my passion for them and, over the years, I have been collecting different models for different recipes.

EMILE HENRY: LEADING COMPANY IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERAMIC KITCHEN UTENSILS

The clay produced in the Burgundy region is the same as that used by Jacques Henry in the small ceramics workshop he founded in 1850 in Marcigny, in the south of Burgundy. The company is now world-famous, still in the hands of the 6th generation of the Henry family and its pottery is the best in France.

The entire manufacturing process is carried out in France, in the factory located on the same site where it was founded, a place where craftsmanship and modern stoneware treatment techniques come together to result in products of the highest quality that, with basic care, should last for many years. If you want to see a sample of this love for tradition translated into high-tech stoneware with a manual application of natural glaze, I recommend that you watch this wonderful video made by the company.

Among the great virtues of Emile Henry pieces, and listing a few to show you their excellence, we find that their ceramic is an excellent conductor of heat, so we will need less energy to cook and less time.

In addition, in its oven line, all the pieces can be taken from the freezer to the oven or microwave (-20ºC to +250ºC), which makes our lives easier if we have already prepared pre-cooked dishes and want them ready to serve immediately.

Stoneware moulds allow us to bake smoothly and evenly, which means that all our dishes are made equally. It is not porous, which gives it non-stick properties, which means that in my case, after years of using my cake mould, I don't even bother to spread butter or oil on it when baking, simply pouring the batter into it and baking at the right temperature. When I take it out and let it cool for a few minutes, my cake makes a "plop" and comes off the stoneware without further ado thanks to its perfectly smooth glaze. In addition, it is a stoneware that is very resistant to knocks and does not scratch even if you use the tip of a knife to cut directly into it, as I usually do, as I always serve my cakes and tarts directly from the oven to the table, because they are so pretty that my recipes look better that way.

Emile Henry has a wide and attractive range of products with beautiful colours that you will fall in love with as much as I do! If you are one of those who like baking, you will love the moulds for Clafoutis , Crème Brulé , Cake and even Soufflés, because of how pretty they are and because of the fantastic results they give when baking our desserts. Cooking without burning is the secret of a flan or a quiche and the best thing is to present them on the table while still hot and cut them right inside the mould. As for the secret to a good soufflé, a regular heat is necessary at the base and on the sides, which is why the mould has to be vertical and high. When you take it out of the oven it has to retain the heat so that it does not sink... that is why we need high quality stoneware. The Emile Henry model also has handles to make our job easier when taking it out of the oven.

What about the elegant range of baking trays ? Perfect for a delicious, fluffy lasagne, with enough depth to put up to 7 layers! They are also designed with handles that allow a perfect grip when removing them from the oven to serve at the table in complete safety.

You will be delighted to know that for its first use, there are no precautions to take, just wash with warm water and normal detergent.

Stoneware casseroles are designed to be used on the stove or barbecue, as well as in the oven, ceramic hobs or microwave (induction as well, provided you use the adapter disc). They are very easy to clean and of course dishwasher safe. Their gentle cooking does not dry out, so the food retains all its flavour and properties. You can cook roasts, rounds and your best stews in them slowly over the stove or in the oven. All of them will retain their flavour better, and by serving directly in them on the table, the food will retain much more heat, so anyone who wants seconds will still find the stew as hot as if it had just been removed from the heat.

It is advisable to heat them gradually and not to put them cold on a fire at full power. And never cook in them at full power on your stove, since stoneware is an excellent conductor of heat and we run the risk of food sticking. Cooking at medium power will be sufficient and always using a fire diameter appropriate to the base of the piece.

The first few times you use it, it is possible that food may stick to it, as it is a natural material. If this happens, soak it for about 20 minutes until the piece is cold and then proceed to clean it normally. After a couple of uses, this will no longer happen.

Finally, we would like to introduce you to the Emile Henry Tajine with its “hat” lid that allows the perfect circulation of steam for a tasty cooking of our recipes and that with its attractive aesthetics will ensure that when you serve it at the table you will get a unanimous “OHHHHH” from your guests! At the same time, you will enjoy a dish cooked in a healthy and traditional way.

Recipes

If you have just purchased an Emile Henry product, on the blog we give you many ideas and recipes to inspire you when preparing delicious dishes, but to make your life easier, here is a selection of some of those already published.

• Endive and Leek Quiche
• Guacamole with Jalapeños {for dipping}
• Poor Man's Brioche
• Chicken Tagine with Candied Lemons, Fennel and Olives
• Lamb Tagine with Chestnuts and Pomegranate
• Spinach, Bacon and Goat Cheese Quiche
• Apricot Cake
• Late Tomato and Brie Cheese Quiche

You will find more recipes on the blog as we publish them under the Emile Henry label. And I also have many more recipes cooked with pieces from the Emile Henry collection on my blog Sabores y Momentos , so be sure to visit it.

I hope that all this information helps you to use and preserve your stoneware pieces for a long time, and to all of you who are thinking about it and feel the urge to try them, I encourage you to do so, they are wonderful pieces that I am still in love with after many years of use!

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments of this post. We will be happy to help you with anything you need.