How to Separate a Double Boiler That Is Stuck Together?
A double-boiler is a kitchen gadget that consists of two saucepans, one slightly smaller than the other. The larger pan holds water, and the smaller pan nests inside it, using the heat of the boiling water in the larger pan to melt chocolate, cheese, or other foods. The pans must fit one another well, so that the heat does not escape from the seam between the pans. Sometimes, however, the seal becomes vapor-locked, and the pans become--and remain--stuck together. You can separate a stuck double boiler using the basic rules of physics. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Fill the upper chamber of the double boiler with ice cubes. Pour cold water over the cubes, and swish the ice water around, so that the cold is evenly distributed. Allow the ice water to sit in the top sauce pan for at least five minutes. Cold temperatures cause things to contract. So the icy water makes the upper sauce pan contract, which loosens vacuum that has the two pans stuck together. Sometimes this step is sufficient. If the pans remain stuck, leave the ice water in the top pot and move on to the following step.
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Run the hot water in your sink, until it is as hot as it can get. If you have a faucet that runs boiling water, do NOT use this faucet; you need hot water, not boiling water. Place the sink stopper in the drain, and fill the sink with hot water.
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Leave the ice water in the upper chamber, and put the lower pan in the hot water; hold the handle to keep the upper pan out of the water. Hot temperatures cause things to expand, and the hot water will cause the lower pan to expand and enable the contracted upper pan to come loose. It is very important to point the pans away from your face and body, as they sometimes separate with extreme force, which could cause injury.
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Twist the pans in opposite directions, with the lower pan in the hot water, and the upper pan out of the water. The pans should separate from one another easily. If they do not, repeat the process with slightly hotter water--such as a sink full of hot tap water mixed with a quart of water you heat on the stove (do not allow the water to boil).
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Tips & Warnings
Always aim the pans away from you, just in case the pans separate forcefully. There have been reports of pans separating with such force that the upper pan shot into the air and embedded in the ceiling above the stove.
References
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Comments
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try this dennis and christine. If all else fails, bring it to Tj's have a crazy child put it in the small cart and run around the store while the parent isn't poaying attention and when it tips over and the pans fall out, they will automatically come apart. VIOLA!
