Scald
To scald milk is to heat it until small bubbles appear at the edge and steam rises, about 82°C (180°F), without letting it boil. Here is how and why.
Also called Scalded, Scalded milk, Scalding.
To scald is to heat a liquid, usually milk or cream, until it is almost boiling, then take it off the heat. Scalded milk is about 82°C (180°F). Small bubbles form around the edge of the pan and steam rises, but the surface does not bubble all over. Older bread recipes ask for scalded milk, and so do custards and pastry cream. Scald can also mean pouring boiling water over food, for example to loosen tomato skins, or a burn from hot liquid.
How to do it
- Pour the milk into a heavy saucepan. Rinse the pan with cold water first to help stop the milk sticking.
- Heat over medium-low heat, stirring now and then.
- Watch for small bubbles at the edge and a little steam, usually 4 to 6 minutes for 500 ml (2 cups).
- Take it off the heat as soon as you see them. A skin will form if you leave it; stir or skim it off.
- For bread, let it cool to about 40°C (105°F), warm to the touch, before mixing it with yeast.
In a microwave, heat in a large heatproof jug in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
How to tell it is done
Tiny bubbles cling to the edge, steam drifts off the surface, and a thermometer reads about 80 to 85°C (175 to 185°F). The milk has not risen up the pan or formed a rolling boil.
Why it works
Scalding was first used to kill bacteria in raw milk. With pasteurized milk this is no longer needed. It still helps in some recipes: hot milk dissolves sugar and butter quickly, takes the flavor from vanilla or spices steeped in it, and cooks custards faster when you temper eggs with it. In bread, heating milk breaks down a whey protein that can weaken gluten, which some bakers find gives a softer, higher loaf.
Common mistakes
- Walking away. Milk goes from scalded to boiled over in seconds.
- Heat that is too high. Milk scorches on the bottom and tastes burnt.
- Adding yeast to hot milk. It kills the yeast. Cool it first.
- Pouring scalded milk straight into eggs. They scramble. Add it slowly while whisking.
In recipes
"Scald the milk" means heat it to just below a simmer. It is used for bread, rice pudding and crème pâtissière.
Related terms
- Temper eggsTempering eggs is slowly whisking hot liquid into beaten eggs so they warm up without scrambling. It is the key step in custards and pastry cream.
- SimmerA simmer is liquid kept just below boiling, with small, gentle bubbles rising to the surface. It cooks soups, stews and sauces without toughening them.
- Crème pâtissièreCrème pâtissière is a thick custard of milk, egg yolks, sugar and starch, used to fill eclairs, tarts and doughnuts. Here is how to make it smooth.
- SaucepanA saucepan is a deep, round pan with straight sides and one long handle, for sauces, grains, eggs and reheating. Here is how to pick a size.
- YeastYeast is a living fungus that makes bread rise. Fresh, active dry and instant yeast explained, with conversions, temperatures and what goes wrong.