Boiling Milk

Unlike water, boiling milk with an electric kettle can be a tricky task. One time, I have had a reader ask me this question for which, I had provided a detailed reply (not comprehensive by any means). As part of phase 2 of this blog, I thought, it would be interesting to post these questions and answers for the benefit of other readers.

Hi Manoj,
After a lot of browsing, I landed up in ur blog and it is really useful.
I am using a flat bottom (concealed heating element) 1500W kettle but when i boil milk, it burns and sticks to the bottom, giving an unpleasant taste. How do I overcome this problem??

The issue may be due to the following reasons.
The 1500 W kettle – generates immense heat which is more than enough for milk to get boiled.
The milk. If you are using double cream, there is more chance for it to get burnt and stuck to the bottom.
A few things that you can do to solve the issues are.
1. Add water to milk before switching on the kettle. (15 % to Volume of milk).
2. Instead of leaving the kettle unattended, you can fiddle with the kettle on of switch a few time so that it won’t get stuck to the bottom.
3. Constantly stir the milk. Make sure you don’t get a steam burn.

This has happened to me also. I use a 1000W kettle. Those were the things I did to sort out the issue.

Make sure you clean the kettle after the adventure.

 

Cleaning the Kettle

Well, if you ask me what are the things I really hate doing, one of the first things I would say is cleaning dishes. I hate it as much as the next person. My strategy for cleaning dishes is as follows.

Once I’m done cooking, I plate the dishes and clean everything I can, including the kitchen so that there’s only very little to clean afterward. I have a relaxed meal and clean my plates.

Cleaning your electric kettle can be difficult at times, depending on what adventure you had with it (Especially after boiling milk, making rice, pasta). I have a four-step process I follow to clean my kettle. So here it is, for everyone.

Make sure you disconnect the kettle from the power socket before starting the cleaning process to avoid the risk of electrocution. 

• Soaking

Once you are done boiling milk. Never leave the kettle to dry. Fill it with water and let it sit for a while (15-20 minutes at least). You can also use a mixture of liquid dishwashing soap and water.

• Scraping

Use a wooden ladle to scrape the bottom of the kettle (there might be some discoloration due to the burnt milk protein. Please don’t use any sharp objects for this as it may damage the kettle. Or the worst case, give you an injury by accident.

• Cleaning

Depending on the state of your kettle, you might have to go back to soaking sometimes. Otherwise, clean the kettle with water to remove the soap residue.

• Drying

Please use a paper towel or a dry cloth to pat dry the kettle.