What's the best way to heat milk for a coffee latte

[procon]

When I only have an old fashioned percolator? I don't have one of those fancy coffee pots That can make all kinds of specialty drinks and I don't want to buy one for the intermittent use it would get.

Already tried heating a bit of milk with a splash of vanilla in a sauce pan, but I tasted it first and it had an unpleasant cooked aftertaste. Maybe a double boiler, microwave?

[Dream Girl]

1. Try a double boiler...the stream heat will be more gentle.

[procon]

15. Thanks everyone!

I'm going to try my hand blender and see How that works.

[MANative]

2. I pop mine into the microwave for about 30 seconds

My Ninja Coffee Bar has a frothing attachment, but it doesn't steam, so I put the milk (skim, usually) into the microwave first, then use the frother to get the whip.

[Irish_Dem]

4. This is what I do, 30 seconds in microwave.

[hlthe2b]

3. I microwave it in a pyrex glass 1 or 2-cup measuring cup & then use a hand frother

Works very well for me.

My hand frother is an aerolatte that runs on batteries and works very well.




You'll have to test out how long to microwave. I make 1/2 breve lattes (1/2 water & 1/2 Half&Half) so for 8- ounce I nuke for 2minutes 10 seconds in a 900 Watt Microwave and 3min 10 seconds for 12 ounces total (for a 16-ounce latte).

But I am at altitude so your results will vary (also depending on the type of milk) Likewise adjust time for a more powerful microwave.

[irisblue]

7. second rec this frother and a double boiler for heated milk.

I have put a 1/4 c of cream/milk, (and IMO you need some fat in the cream/milk for taste and froth) in a 2 cup Pyrex glass measuring cup in a sauce pan with water to the 1 cup line. Gently heated till I heard the cup start to 'dance'.

the frother went into the measuring cup, I frothed the cream, poured it over my coffee using a hot pad to protect my hand, then poured the hot water into the empty cup so clean up was easier.

[Pobeka]

12. I third rec this. Next best thing to a steam frother. nt

[dweller]

5. I nuke everything

esp with lower power settings
may take some tests to get what you want, but I’d heat it in the coffee cup, pour coffee over

✌🏻

[Pantagruel]

6. a whisk and a metal bowl

over a pot of boiling water should get you where you want to go. You're just beating air and heat into dairy.

[Demsrule86]

8. You can buy a frother which will whip the milk and heat it on Amazon for very little money.

Also, you can buy an inexpensive Espresso stovetop maker too...or you can double up on the amount of coffee you use in your percolator...you can also by hand frothers and microwave in order to heat the milk.

[procon]

9. I don't have a frother. Would a regular hand

Blender work, or is it time to be stop being so frugal and buy one?

[hlthe2b]

11. Mine goes for $20 on Amazon. See my post upstream. But yeah, they work a lot better.

Hand blender might work. Worth a try.

[Pobeka]

13. Hmm, Interesting idea. Microwave the milk, and try it! nt

[orwell]

10. Don't cook the milk past...

...140 to 150 degrees. The milk sugars are enhanced at that temperature.

After that the milk will start to taste "cooked".

I heat my milk in the microwave to around 145 degrees.

There are also inexpensive stand alone steamer pots that will just steam milk. The same rules apply 140 to 150 degrees.

All of these tools are relatively inexpensive.

If you really want to emulate the coffee shop latte on the cheap, get a moka pot to make the more concentrated type of coffee that such drinks require.

There are also battery operated frothing whips (under $15) that will "foam" the heated milk.

With a moka pot, microwaved milk at the right temp, and a frothing whip you can make a pretty passable latte.

[Major Nikon]

14. Here's the easiest way to get the results you're after

The hardest part is figuring out how long it takes to microwave the milk to bring it up to the temperature you want. You don't want to boil the milk as this will denature the milk proteins in ways you don't want. 160F is the temperature you want, so if you have a thermometer you can measure how long it takes to bring a specific quantity of refrigerated milk to that temperature and it will remain the same thereafter so long as you always use the same quantity.

Next put the milk in a storage container you can seal at the top. Suggestions are a half-gallon milk container, a glass milk bottle, or a clean 2 liter soda pep bottle. With the lid on shake the hell out of it. This will incorporate air bubbles into the milk.

You can buy a dedicated milk frother, but they are unnecessary as the above options work just as well. You can also use a clean French press as it does the same thing as a milk frother if you plunge it up and down several times.

For any of these methods the results won't be as good as a real milk steamer, but it won't be bad.

[Warpy]

16. Double boiler, if ya got. Keep an eye on the temperature

You want it warmed, not cooked. Microwaves tend to cook part, leave part cold.

If no double boiler, a bowl set over a pan of boiling water will do the trick, keep stirring and keep an eye on the temperature.