Scald Milk
In the old days, milk needed to be scalded in order to make it sanitary. Nowadays, though, the pasteurization process milk goes through before it can be sold kills off all potentially harmful bacteria. Some recipes, especially for bread, may still call for scalded milk since the scalding process can improve the density and formation of the food.
Contents
Steps
In the Microwave
- Pour the required amount of milk into a microwave-safe bowl. A glass bowl is generally preferred, but a plastic bowl will also work as long as it is labeled safe for use in a microwave. It is important that you pre-measure the milk before scalding it, since you should not pour extra scalded milk back into the jug of un-scalded milk it originally came from.
- Place a microwavable chopstick in the dish. You could also use a bamboo skewer or any other tool with a long handle that is made from microwavable material. This step is needed in order to prevent the milk from super-heating beyond the temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). Super-heated milk can scorch and has the potential to cause serious burns if it spills onto your skin. The tool must break the surface of the milk, however, since it will not be of much use otherwise.
- Microwave the milk on high for three to four minutes. If your microwave has a rotating plate, make sure that you change the microwave's settings so that the plate does rotate properly. The milk is finished scalding once it begins to boil.
- If your microwave does not have a rotating plate, stop the microwave halfway in between the cooking time and turn the container of milk 180 degrees. Otherwise, it may heat unevenly.
- Remove the milk with pot holders. The container will be very hot, so pot holders are essential. Move the container of milk carefully to prevent hot milk from spilling out onto your skin. Place the container on a hotplate, wire rack, or other heat-resistant surface and use it shortly thereafter.
On the Stovetop
- Rinse a heavy saucepan with cold water. By briefly cooling the inside of your pan, you can help regulate the temperature of the milk more carefully, preventing it from heating too quickly on the stove.
- Pour the milk into the saucepan. Measure out the precise amount of milk you need for the recipe, since it will be difficult to add more later. You also should not use more than you need since you should not return scalded milk to the container of un-scalded milk it originally came from.
- Slowly heat the pan of milk over medium-low heat. A low heat setting may not provide enough heat to actually warm the pan up, but anything stronger than a medium heat setting will likely bring the temperature up too quickly, causing the milk to boil and burn before you have the chance to stop it. A medium-low heat works best, but a medium heat can also be used as long as you keep a steady watch of it.
- Stir the milk continuously. To prevent the milk from thickening or burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan, frequent stirring is vital. Do not allow the milk to rest for more than 30 to 60 seconds at a time as it heats up.
- Watch for the formation of steam and bubbles. The milk is heated enough to be considered scalded once small bubbles start to form around the edges of the pan. Do not allow the milk to start boiling, however. Once the milk has started to boil, it has gotten too hot, and a certain protein inside the milk may be destroyed as a result. The destruction of this protein could lead to a loss of volume in baked goods. Additionally, once milk has gotten hot enough to boil, it is nearly impossible to stop it from sticking to the bottom of the pan and creating a burnt film.
- Remove the milk and let it cool. Lift the pan off the stovetop and transfer it to a heat-resistant surface. You can transfer the milk to a room temperature container to prevent it from continuing to cook, or you can simply keep stirring it until it stops steaming. Most recipes suggest that you allow the milk to cool to a certain temperature before you use it, so you should check the milk periodically with a thermometer until it reaches this temperature.
In a Double-Boiler
- Pour a small amount of water into the bottom half of a double boiler. Usually, 1 or 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of water is enough. You want to add enough water to create a generous amount of steam, but you do not want the level of the water to touch the bottom of the top portion of the double boiler.
- Add your milk to the top portion of the double boiler. Do not use an estimated or general amount of milk. Instead, use the exact amount of milk called for in your recipe.
- Place the top half into the bottom half. The top half of the double boiler should rest on the side of the bottom half without touching the surface of the water contained in the bottom half. If the top half does meet the surface of the water, dump some of the water out and try again.
- Heat the double boiler over medium to medium-high heat. Medium heat is still recommended for this method, but since you are not heating the milk over direct heat and are instead relying on the steam produced by the boiling water, you can get away with a slightly higher level of heat. At minimum, the water in the bottom half needs to bubble and steam, but it will ideally reach a simmer or low boil.
- Stir the milk occasionally. The milk does not need to be stirred quite as frequently as it would be if you scalded it over direct heat, but it still needs to be stirred briefly every minute or two in order to prevent it from forming a film or burning to the bottom of the pan.
- Remove the milk once it begins to steam. Small bubbles should also form along the side of the pot. You can either remove the entire double boiler from the heat or you can simply lift the top portion of the double boiler out.
- Allow the milk to cool on a heat-resistant surface. Check the scalded milk with an instant-read food thermometer until it cools to the desired temperature.
Tips
- In addition to milk, reconstituted milk powder can also be scalded. Scalding reconstituted milk powder may work best using the traditional stovetop method.
Things You’ll Need
- Microwavable container
- Heavy sauce pot
- Double boiler
- Spoon
- Chopstick or bamboo skewer
- Instant-read food thermometer
Related Articles
- Heat Milk Without Scalding
- Make Acidophilus Milk
- Dry Milk
- Boil Milk
