It’s wintertime, one of my neighbors texted me “Can you froth milk with an immersion blender?”. I felt funny about this question, by thinking how weird it will if one uses the immersion blender as a milk frother.
I told him “No way”. You will end up with weird stuff. And if you feel ok we will check some coffee shops out there and have good coffee.
He refused. I was talking with myself, Maybe it works, Then why the hell the industries are selling the machine called milk frother.
After few hours, he made the thing happen. He gave me the frothiest milk with a good texture. I was wondered..!
We discussed.
I came to know the facts that how it happens. Few tips and tricks made it froth well.
Initially, I think it is not even possible to froth milk without a frother. Let us see what are the facts that made froth.
Can I froth milk without a frother?
I know, you too have this question in mind “Can milk be frothed without a frother?.
The answer is “No” but we can make it as “Yes”
The milk frothers are always great to froth milk. The design and mechanism of which make the milk froth. When we are doing the froth without milk frother, we are unsure about the foam quality level.
And there are several factors in frothing the milk without frother. That is everything from hot milk to cold milk, latte to cappuccino, hot chocolate to cold coffee.
1. Depending upon what we are preparing, the froth quality differs. In addition, when we are using blenders or other kitchen equipment to froth, it will further degrade the foam quality.
2. The material of the equipment matters, whether it is suitable for dairy milk, non-dairy milk.
3. Also, unless the milk frother, no other reciprocating equipment will heat along with froth.
So, it is a bit hard to make froth without frother. But, when you are asking whether can I froth milk without a frother?
I say yes, you can do it if you are master the technique. But, the above factors always matter.
What is the difference between milk frother and immersion blender?
From the name itself, we see the difference that, the milk frother is a device or automatic machine which is designed to froth the milk and the blender helps to blending pancake batter, whipping cream, beating eggs.
The design itself varies so that, the frother will work on the liquids, but the blenders are working on semi-solid and solid eatables.
So, we cannot expect the same result just because both are rotating wands.
Ok. keep the difference in their design aside. Let us look into the frothing science behind it.
In the handheld milk frother, there is a whisk at the bottom which rotates at high speed to add up the air. The whisk looks spiral. This spiral design helps to foam up the milk.
But in the case of an immersion blender, has two small blades at the bottom which are closed by a cup with openings in it. The rotating speed of the blender is less in most cases.
The main difference between milk frother and immersion blender is the whish arrangement. The blades in the immersion blender are not frothing milk as good as spiral whisk in the milk frother.
Can I use an immersion blender to froth milk?
There are many ways to froth milk, but as we saw the mechanism and the arrangement, we know it is better to do froth the milk using the milk frother.
Even though the milk frother works great. You can use an immersion blender to froth milk. The immersion blender does produce its level of froth when you use it. The handheld milk frother rotates at a speed of 19000 rpm whereas the immersion blender rotates between 7500 o 18000 rpm.
But, you can froth milk a hand blender If you have such a heavy-duty type. It is good to use them instead of the frother.
The two reasons are helping to froth the milk,
one is the whisk of the immersion blender is heavy.
Another one is, it will rotate at a high speed equals to the milk frother.
Because of this, the high-speed immersion blender can compete with the milk frother. You can use the immersion blender to froth milk.
How do you make foam with immersion blender?
There are still some reservations about “How do you make foam with immersion blender?
The foam formation can be done through an immersion blender. Even it is a messier option to froth milk. You can use a blender in such a way that it works great and similar to a milk frother.
In using the immersion blender to froth, you need to take care of few things.
Whenever you use the handheld frother, most people just have the milk in a cup. They just put the wand over the surface of the milk. The foam will form nicely without any spilling out.
But when you using the immersion blender, as you know the bottom wand is heavy. More chance of spilling out milk when the heavy element rotates at high speed. So just have the milk in the large container having the tall sidewalls. Then submerge the immersion blender to use it.
Let’s see the step-by-step process of frothing milk using an immersion blender.
The foamy milk can be produced using a hand blender. In the following frothing process, we are going to make the cappuccino. You can also do the same process, it is handy. You can froth milk with a handheld blender for preparing lattes or similar beverages at home without any fancy items.
Required utensils:
1. Half cup milk:
Use your favorite milk. Hopefully, the full-fat farm milk does the froth better in the case of dairy milk. If you are preferring plant-based milk, it’s good to have any milk of barista edition.
2. Hand blender:
You have the immersion blender in your kitchen. It is better to have the blending rpm of about 17000. If you are having the one which is lesser rpm. Though it is ok. It is good to go. Use it.
3. Espresso shot:
Keep ready with your preferred coffee or espresso shot in a glass. I hope you don’t need any explanation in preparing an espresso shot at your home.
4. Deep jar or container:
Probably the milk will always spill out when you using the high-speed blender. If you don’t want to be a messy process. Use the deep jar(transparent jar is good) or high sidewall container. It will avoid spilling out milk.
5. Microwave safe glass:
Microwave safe glass to heat the milk. Heating milk in the saucepan does not work as it distributes the heat unevenly.
6. Sugar
Use the sugar if you are using unsweetened milk to froth to the required amount.
Step by step process to froth milk with an immersion blender:
Step 1: (Adding a milk)
Add the milk into the deep jar or container. Use a half cup of milk. And judge how much milk can hold by the jar without spilling out.
Even If it holds a larger volume, you must add only half-cup(One glass of milk, I say) because the frothing can be done for a minimum amount of milk only. So use a half cup at one time.
Step 2: (How to froth milk with hand blender)
Immerse the hand blender into the deep jar. Do turn on the power button. If you have different speeds. Start blending with low speed for 20 seconds. Then do it at high speed for 40 seconds. This can give you a high level of froth.
The foam level can be controlled only by using a transparent jar by seeing it visually. Also, you can froth the milk up to three-minute high-speed blending if you are not able to produce the desired amount in one minute.
Note: If you do not have the deep jar. Use any container and wrap the cloth on the table. Place the container over it which will avoid the milk spilling out everywhere.
Step 3: (Pour the milk into microwave-safe glass)
Once you are done with the frothing process using the immersion blender. Pour the milk into the microwave-safe glass.
Step 4: (Heat the milk)
Once you filled the milk into a microwave-safe glass. Place it in the microwave oven and turn it on. Make sure the temperature setting of not exceeding 65 deg. C and heat for up to one minute which will help you not scalding of milk.
Step 5: (Heat till an increase in volume)
After heating the milk for one minute, the volume will increase to a certain percentage and give you with great foam of milk ready at your microwave Take out the heated milk.
Step 6: (Enjoy the drink)
You have the espresso shot ready with you already. Just pour the milk over the espresso shot or you can transfer the milk into a drinking cup and then pour the espresso shot.
Enjoy the cappuccino…! Do a similar process for any hot coffee beverages.
Conclusion: (Can you froth milk with an immersion blender?)
As a final answer, You can froth milk with an immersion blender if you want to drink frothed milk if you are not serious about frothing milk and drinking just for a sake of a boring morning routine.
But it is not the choice for one who is a coffee lover and enjoys the morning latte every day. So it is better to have the best milk frother if you want to make lattes in long run. At the very least, if you know how to use a manual milk frother effectively, which also does a good job of foaming with the least amount of money spent.
The best part is, the milk frother is not only be used for preparing lattes. It will be the only device in your kitchen which do all kind of milk recipes & coffee beverages which discovered so far.
