10 ideas to make the most of your ramekins

The ramekin (or ramequin) is a versatile, pretty and inexpensive utensil that many of us have at home but often only use to make custard or yogurt, bake a soufflé or serve some appetizers. Because there are so many and varied uses, Beatriz (author of To Be Gourmet) brings us 10 ideas to make the most of ramekins. From today on you'll look at these little beauties with stars in your eyes! I'll leave you with her:

I especially like Emile Henry kitchenware, not only for its quality and durability, but also for its aesthetics. The utensil jar, the renowned salt cellar shaped like a chimney, the very versatile oven trays... Everything has a special charm.

But when I got the ramekins I couldn't imagine how many different uses I would give them. The original idea, in summer, was to use them to serve ice cream. I thought that being ceramic they would keep the cold much better than any other type of cup or glass, and they would even be great for eating ice cream standing up without fear of it spilling, which could happen in lower, more open containers.

Following that same reasoning about maintaining temperatures I also started using them for coffee. They have an ideal size, neither too big nor too small. Then for hot chocolate… one day a very concentrated infusion…. And from there, for a lot more things.

I have the ramekins no.8 Emile Henry, but there are other formats that you can use for the same purposes. They come in a Set of 2 (you can see them all here), and because they are designed to last forever in the kitchen they are a very worthwhile investment.

I never imagined how versatile they could be, so I'm going to share with you ten ideas to get the most out of them:

1. To serve hot chocolate, coffee or tea: it's becoming more and more fashionable to serve coffee in handleless cups (which is the shape of Emile Henry ramekins, especially no.8), but it also keeps it hotter for longer because it's ceramic. There's a mocha-colored model that I love and use a lot with guests. It always surprises people and they ask where they can find it.

2. To present breadsticks or grissini: One day I used them to offer “Tolosa cigarettes” (they're butter cigars) after the meal or some wafer rolls alongside the coffee. And if we want to accompany typical grissini and butter, I break them in half and present them in these containers as well.

3. If you make your own jams, they are great for presenting two or three flavors at breakfast or a snack. They have that “homemade” feel that gives them special charm.

4. To present simple desserts: ramekins are perfect for presenting yogurts (how delicious and pretty a yogurt looks served there with raspberries!), custards or rice pudding.

5. As a container, in the broad sense that implies: At home we use them to store blue cheese that easily crumbles, and we serve ourselves from there. It's also perfect for storing leftover ingredients from a preparation, or great as a container to serve part of a snack spread (some peanuts or other nuts, diced cheese or olives...).

6. To present ice cream, as we said at the beginning… They keep it colder for longer because they're ceramic. You can put toppings like mini Oreos, marshmallows… My kids customize them like those cups from the frozen yogurt shops we all know. They can also go in the freezer, so you can also make your own ice cream in them by adding yogurt and putting them straight in the freezer.

7. To bring mayonnaise, cocktail sauce or any other sauce to the table. And if it's a long table or you offer several sauces at once, serve each one in several little cups so they're within reach of all diners. Nothing prevents using ramekins for hot sauces either.

8. As small pots to plant herbs and decorate the kitchen. Can you picture them? I think it's a great idea; a friend has 6 in her kitchen, lined up, with thyme, rosemary, cilantro… and it looks ideal. That said, you have to be careful with water because they don't drain from the bottom, so use very little.

9. They can be used to make mug cakes, the typical single-serving cakes kids love, and adults too; it's an original way to present a cake or a molten cake. Just pour the batter (up to 3/4 of the cup, because it rises) and bake as usual until a skewer comes out clean.

10. For a small cream as a starter in a long menu, garnished with roe or croutons, and likewise for a small gazpacho in summer crowned with aove.

And these are my ten ideas, but I'm sure that as you were reading you came up with more, so if you share them in the comments that would be great! Then we'll add them to our list and enjoy them even more.

NOTE: Ramekins are ceramic utensils or containers that can go in the oven, fridge and microwave and come in various sizes and shapes, although they are usually round and not very tall. What sets Emile Henry ramekins apart from the rest is the quality of the ceramic: Emile Henry makes them from Burgundy clay (with great qualities) and fires it at over 2000 ºC; it has a collection of beautiful ramekins in various colors and shapes, and offers a 10-year warranty.