Ramekins are small round ceramic baking dishes used for individual servings of sweet or savoury food. Some of the most elegant are made of white porcelain, although you can also buy more homely ramekins in glass, earthenware or colourful fired ceramic.

Strong enough to be used in the freezer or oven, ramekins are most often used for cooking foods in a water bath, for example egg custards and crème caramel. Most can also be put under the grill to caramelise a sugary topping, but check the manufacturer's instructions first.

Ramekins have straight sides, traditionally fluted on the outside and smoothly glazed within. The smooth interior encourages expanding mixtures, like soufflés, to rise up the dish. The domed roughened base is designed to stop the ramekin gluing itself to the bottom of a water bath and making it awkward to lift out.

Standard ramekins are 4cm high, 8cm across and hold 150ml. You can also get deeper ones that hold up to 250ml. If a recipe doesn't specify which size to use, assume it's the 150ml.

Soak in hot soapy water to remove stuck-on food, using a gentle scouring pad if necessary.