The Absolute Best Uses For Your Milk Frother
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In short, a milk frother is a device used to aerate milk. When used for coffee beverages, such as cappuccinos, the frothed milk imparts a much creamier and unctuous mouthfeel than regular milk. Since milk frothers were introduced to the market in the 2000s, these handheld devices have evolved from flimsy, battery-operated whisks to more technical devices with rechargeable batteries, manual plungers, and other fixtures that make using them a breeze.
Our favorite milk frother products include the PowerLix Handheld Milk Frother ($29.99 at the time of publication) which comes in 16 color options with a comfortable ergonomic handle. FoodVille's Rechargeable Milk Frother has a USB Port and is perfect for on-the-go use that can work every day for a month before needing a recharge.
Even if you don't drink a ton of coffee, you should still consider keeping a milk frother handy in your kitchen. There are plenty of culinary uses for the little electric whisks, and some might even surprise you.
Blend protein powder into your favorite shake
Athletes know the feeling of having protein powder or pre-workout stuck in clumps in your cup — and the humbling feeling of biting into said clumps. If you have a milk frother, you can easily mix protein powder or pre-workout into your favorite milk or water. Simply pour the powder into a glass or your favorite blender bottle and pulse with the milk frother until incorporated. Tilting and maneuvering the glass will ensure all of your particles are dissolved before you even take a swig of the bottle.
If you're using a frother to mix protein powder or pre-workout, you should consider investing in a Zulay Kitchen frother. The wand is small enough to mix in all corners of the cup and mixes better than a blender bottle, according to one reviewer. At less than $30 at the time of publication, you won't have to worry about spending a ton of money on the best workout tool you can have outside of the gym.
Make homemade coffee creamer
Coffee creamers sold at the grocery store can be ladened with sugars, emulsifiers, and other ingredients that don't sit well with your stomach. With your milk frother, you can make super creamy creamer at home with the addition of a few simple ingredients. To make your own homemade coffee creamer, combine sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk together over low-medium heat until warmed through. Froth the dairy ingredients with your favorite flavorings and sweeteners like vanilla bean and maple syrup. You can also add hazelnuts to the saucepan while the milk is warming through for a nutty flavor — just be sure to remove the nuts before you froth.
If you're looking for seasonal spins on homemade coffee creamer, look no further than your spice cabinet. Add a bit of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves for a warm cup of coffee, or spin in a bit of pumpkin puree for a twist on a pumpkin spice latte. Peppermint oil can also make your coffee creamer festive for the upcoming Christmas season.
DIY whipped cream
If you serve a pie or ice cream sundaes, you have to have a ton of whipped cream on hand. With your milk frother and a bit of heavy whipping cream, you can make magic happen in your kitchen in a matter of minutes. The power of the milk frother will save your arm a workout and produce a positively delicious result. We recommend starting with cold tools and ingredients to speed up the whipping process. Add your cream to the bowl, a little bit at a time, and froth with your milk frother until the cream becomes stiffer.
Once your whipped cream is stiff, you can customize it with a myriad of ingredients and flavorings. Herbs like basil and rosemary add a savory flair — and letting these herbs steep in the whipping cream for as long as possible will impart more flavor to the final product. You can also use chocolate chards or cocoa powder for a chocolate undertone.
Add foam to cocktails
You can't underscore the addition of foam to your favorite cocktails. Although the best way to foam egg whites for cocktails might be with a dry shake (which involves placing the egg whites in a jar and shaking vigorously before adding ice), this method often lends itself to a big mess. Liquor.com notes that you should consult your milk frother instead of dry shaking. Using your milk frother — specifically tilting the glass to get the perfect whirlpool angle — works for frothing egg whites, aquafaba, or non-dairy or dairy-based cocktail ingredients.
There are several cocktail recipes where you'll want to use frothed egg whites. A classic amaretto sour, for example, isn't complete with a sugar rim and frothed mix of amaretto, maraschino cherry juice, and egg whites. And nothing beats a classic frothy whiskey sour with simple syrup, whiskey, and egg whites (or a vegan substitution with aquafaba).
Aerate eggs for the perfect scrambled eggs
When you're making scrambled eggs, a crucial step is to beat the eggs prior to pouring them into the pan to cook. This will break apart the proteins in the egg whites and cause air bubbles to more easily trap themselves in the protein's intertwining structure. A milk frother can work really well for this task. But as important as it is to whip your eggs before cooking, you should also be wary of how quickly the eggs can become over-beaten. Once the eggs start to stiffen and the foam stabilizes, you should remove the frother and start cooking those eggs. After all, your breakfast awaits.
For the fluffiest eggs, you should also pay attention to the bowl you're using. Copper tends to produce the fluffiest egg whites if you're making a healthy egg white omelet. You should also bring your eggs up to room temperature before you start to froth to create the most volume — plus, they'll beat much quicker than cold eggs.
Make a delicious aioli
Aioli is an oil-based sauce that is akin to a more flavorful mayonnaise. To make a basic aioli at home, you'll need a few simple ingredients like eggs, oil, and seasonings such as garlic, lemon juice, and spice. Then, the next trick to making aioli is not just dropping all of your ingredients into a bowl and hoping for the best. Instead, it's putting all of the ingredients, minus the oil, into a bowl and frothing with your milk frother until well combined. Then, slowly emulsify your mixture by slowly streaming the oil into the mixture while frothing. Start by dripping small amounts of oil into the container with the eggs until there are no visible spots of oil. With all sauces, you should taste to make sure your flavorings are on par.
After you make your aioli, you should let it sit in your fridge for a little bit (after all, it contains eggs) for the flavors to mesh a little bit before dipping your homemade chicken tenders into it.
Whip up fluffy souffle pancakes
Fluffy pancakes are within reach when you have your milk frother handy. Soufflé pancakes are much softer and more pillowy than your favorite Sunday morning buttermilk pancake recipe. You'll want to keep your milk frother handy when you need to process your egg whites. Froth the egg whites in a clean bowl until foamy before adding your cream of tartar. The cream of tartar promotes the egg whites to retain structure and retain air. Once you mix in the sugar, the meringue will appear glossy.
If you don't want to graduate your pancakes to the level of soufflé pancakes, you can froth egg whites for your regular pancakes to beat in more air. You'll want to keep the yolks out of this to avoid contaminating the fragile whites with fat. Froth the egg whites only until stiff peaks appear; any more frothing will cause the whites to deflate and render your pancakes stodgy.
Make trendy dalgona coffee
We can credit dalgona coffee to both milk frothers and TikTok trends of the early COVID-19 pandemic. "Dalgona" roughly translates to "hand-beaten coffee" and is made by combining equal parts water, sugar, and instant coffee powder with a milk frother. Chef Alton Brown alters the dalgona coffee by using instant espresso with vanilla extract for added flavor.
If you're wondering how the science of dalgona coffee works, we can at least give you some of the answers. The sugar in the dalgona coffee acts as a glue for the protein, fiber, minerals, and trace amounts of fat in the coffee. Sugar also acts as a flavoring agent as it holds the air into the mixture and gives it a creamy, meringue-like consistency. Salt would produce the same reaction in the mixture, according to research from Popular Mechanics, but we reckon the result wouldn't taste as good.
Upgrade your hot chocolate
You've probably never had a hot chocolate like this. Using hot cocoa powder, heavy cream, and sugar, make a deliciously thick and creamy spin on dalgona coffee — hot chocolate style. You can drink your dalgona-style hot chocolate either hot or cold, depending on your preference. Some folks have gotten creative with the basic recipe and included hazelnuts, cinnamon, or maple syrup. Like with the dalgona coffee recipe, it is most important to ensure you have equal ratios of the major ingredients — sugar, cream, and hot chocolate powder. Regardless if you use prefer to upgrade your recipe by using Cadbury chocolate powder or traditional Swiss Mix powder, you should remember to keep the same ratio of ingredients in the recipe to ensure those sugar bonds can form.
Garnish your hot (or cold) whipped chocolate with mini marshmallows, a chocolate drizzle, or a myriad of your favorite hot chocolate toppings. Plus, this recipe is caffeine-free and super fun to make with young children.
Mix salad dressing
Making your own salad dressing is as easy as pie when you have a milk frother. Similar to making aioli, you'll want to move slowly and add your oil incrementally to be sure everything emulsifies. Try starting with a basic vinaigrette, which everyone should master before they move on to making more complex dressings. At its base, a vinaigrette is a combination of oil, vinegar, and seasoning.
Start by combining your base ingredients (besides the oil) in a glass jar. Add in a bit of Dijon mustard for flavor, minced garlic or ginger for a punch, and an acidic element of vinegar or lemon juice. As you start to make your vinaigrette, slowly pour in the oil and froth until well combined. The other alternative to making this recipe is to shake all of your ingredients in the jar until combined — but this may make your arm feel like it's going to fall off.
Froth milk for mashed potatoes
Everyone wants creamy and frothy mashed potatoes for Sunday night dinner, and this essential side dish is easy to upgrade with your milk frother. While there are numerous ways to improve your mashed potatoes, you should consider adding frothed cream or milk to your mashed potato recipe. The frothiness of the cream or milk mixture (the exact ratio will depend on the recipe you use) will make the mashed potatoes all the more creamy when it's time to mix the liquid into your favorite soft mashed potatoes.
If you are a fan of adding buttermilk to your mashed potatoes, you'll want to keep a frother handy for that, too. Buttermilk has a similar fat content to that of other milk that you'd froth, so you could expect similar results. Frothing your buttermilk before you pour in the liquid will result in even more creamy, tangy goodness for your favorite side dish.
Save money and make cold foam at home
Starbucks cold foam beverages are all the rage, but if you have aversion to spending a few extra bucks each time you make a Starbucks run, you might want to consider learning how to make your own cold foam at home. The vanilla sweet cold foam at Starbucks is a relatively simple drink made with milk and vanilla sugar syrup (via Starbucks) — a recipe easy enough to make at home with your milk frother. Fresh Coffee House notes that Starbucks opts to use non-fat milk for its cold foam because it holds up better than other milk products.
Cheat Day Design notes that you can use non-dairy milk in your cold foam as well (since Starbucks currently doesn't offer a non-dairy alternative). The website recommends opting for higher-fat milk like coconut or oat milk instead of thin milk like almond. This will better maintain the form of the cold foam and keep your knockoff Starbucks beverage tasty for longer.