Air fryers are one of the latest kitchen gadgets to be taking the world by storm. They are renowned for using significantly less electricity to run, making them a more environmentally conscious and wallet-friendly alternative to cooking in the oven.
They also typically cook food faster than a standard oven and give foods a great, crisp finish. If you’re one of the many people who have flocked to buy yourself an air fryer, you’ll need to know what cooking equipment it is compatible with to get the most out of it.
Most foods can be put directly into the air fryer basket, such as fries, chicken nuggets, and sausages. However, there are some foods that need to be held inside a container in order to cook in an air fryer. A common example is an egg. You can bake eggs in an air fryer if you put them in an air fryer-safe dish, such as a ramekin.
Ramekins can be used in an air fryer as long as they are oven safe. This means they should be made of ceramics or tempered glass. If your ramekin is not oven safe, then it is also not safe to use in an air fryer.
Are Ramekins Safe in an Air Fryer?
Ramekins are small dishes that can be utilized in many ways. They are often used to serve dips or tapas dishes, such as olives or salsa. They can also be used as miniature casserole dishes in the oven, to make recipes such as crème brulée, soufflé, quiche, and individual brownies or cheesecakes.
Many people are surprised to find out that ramekins can also be used in the air fryer, but when you think about it this makes total sense because an air fryer is essentially a small oven. By using ramekins in your air fryer, it opens up this appliance to so many more possibilities for the types of foods you can cook.
Of course, not all ramekins are safe to use in the air fryer and it’s important to establish this before cooking with them. If you use ramekins that are not oven safe in an air fryer then the ramekins could crack or explode under the pressure of the heat, and make quite a mess in your air fryer, as well as being potentially dangerous to your health.
If a ramekin is made from tempered or oven-safe glass, then it will be suitable to be used in the air fryer. Most ceramic ramekins will also be safe for use in the air fryer, though you should check that these are oven safe before using them. Most metal ramekins will be appropriate for use in the air fryer, such as those made from aluminum.
Disposable aluminum ramekins are also available to buy in packs, and these can be used safely in an air fryer. Plastic ramekins should never be used in an air fryer because they will melt under high heat levels. Glass ramekins which are not oven safe should also not be used in the air fryer, and instead should be kept purely for serving foods such as condiments or nuts.
What Can Be Air Fried in a Ramekin?
Exploring all the ways you can use your new air fryer can be quite a lot of fun, especially when you discover you can use it to cook things you may not have expected. When you add the option of cooking foods in a ramekin to your air fryer, it will open up so many more cooking possibilities. Some of the things you can cook in your ramekin with an air fryer include:
Baked eggs
Baked eggs can be cooked in an air fryer when you use a ramekin to hold them in. To make this delicious breakfast recipe, crack an egg into a ramekin and cover it with cream or crème fraîche, and a small sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Cook it in the air fryer at 300°F for around 8 minutes. The white of the egg should be set, while the yolk is still soft. Remove the ramekin from the air fryer using the kitchen tongs of an oven mitt. Baked eggs are great served with slices of buttered toast, or you can dip spears of asparagus into the eggs.
Mac and cheese
Mac and cheese will have a crispy golden crust when finished in the air fryer. Make your macaroni and cheese recipe as usual on the stovetop, then dish it out into portions using ramekins. Sprinkle a little extra grated cheese or breadcrumbs on top of the pasta, and put the ramekins into the air fryer for 5 minutes at 360°F. You can also do this with leftover mac and cheese, but be sure to cook it for longer in the air fryer to ensure it is warmed all the way through.
Fruit cobbler
Individual fruit cobblers are a nice, comforting dessert to serve at winter dinner parties. You can follow any fruit cobbler recipe, and portion out the layers in ramekins rather than in one large dish. Apple cobbler with cinnamon is always a winner, or try a blueberry and blackberry cobbler when these gorgeous dark berries are in season.
Most fruit cobblers prepared in ramekins will cook for around 25 minutes in an air fryer at 320°F. They can be served hot with custard or ice cream, or they can be eaten cold once cooled.
Individual cheesecakes
Baked cheesecakes are traditionally cooked in the oven, but you can bake these in the air fryer for a faster cooking time which also saves you some money on your power bills. Prepare your cheesecake recipes in the ramekins before a dinner party and chill them in the refrigerator, then add them to the air fryer to cook after you and your guests have finished your main course. Most individual baked cheesecakes will need around 10 minutes to cook in the air fryer at 320°F.
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