Double Boiler

This technically refers to a set of fitted saucepans, but you can create your own double boiler by resting a glass or metal bowl atop a small saucepan. First fill the saucepan with about an inch of water and bring the water to a low simmer. Set the bowl on top—make sure it’s not touching the water—so the steam can gently heat the bowl, causing a slow rise in temperature. For our purposes, it’s primarily used for melting chopped chocolates.