Dairy
Milk
For custards bring it just under a simmer. A skin on top means you went too far.
2 recipes on this site
Ingredient reference image: AI-generated. Recipe photography is my own.
In the kitchen
Under heat
Proteins start to denature around 70°C and will scorch onto the pan bottom past that without stirring — a heavy pan and low heat are the whole trick.
Against air
Left uncovered, a skin forms on the surface as proteins coagulate where the milk meets the air — stirring it back in is easier than avoiding it.
In storage
Coldest part of the fridge, sealed, used by the date on the carton — milk is one of the least forgiving items for temperature abuse.
At the shop
Check the back of the fridge case for a later date, not the front — stores rotate stock front to back.
Which variety, for what
- Whole (3.25%)
- The most forgiving for custards and sauces — enough fat to resist splitting.
- Skim / low-fat
- Splits more easily under heat or acid since there’s less fat to stabilize the proteins.
- Buttermilk
- Already acidic and cultured — behaves differently from sweet milk, mainly useful for tenderizing and leavening.
