A milk frother can be used for more than just adding a creamy texture to your milk-based coffee drinks. Read this article to learn about creative things to do with a milk frother.
So, you’ve invested in a milk frother and have now made countless cappuccinos, flat whites, and matcha hot chocolates, and will no doubt keep on creating tasty milk-based coffee drinks.
But did you know that there are many other and creative things you can do with a milk frother? I took some time this week to experiment and found a few new things to do with a milk frother.
1. Beautiful Latte Art
Take your flat whites to another level by experimenting with latte art. Latte art is typically produced by using a steam wand since you need microfoam. Steaming milk produces the right type of foam for latte art since it’s less dense, which allows one to better manipulate the milk to form shapes.
However, if you froth your milk the right way, you can use your milk frother to create beautiful flat whites, adorned by leaves and hearts, just like you see in your favorite coffee shop.
To create your own latte art at home, first warm up the milk to about 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s important that the milk is at the right temperature, since if it’s too hot and it won’t foam and if it’s too cold, you’ll get too much foam. Once your milk is at the right temperature, take the following steps:
- Pour the milk into a steel pitcher that has a pointy beak.
- Insert the milk frother quite deeply into the milk and froth it for about five seconds.
- You now want to tilt the frother slightly, so that the milk starts to swirl.
- As soon as the bubbles start to disappear, stop frothing since your silky microfoam is now ready.
- Pour from a distance so that the milk can drop below the espresso. This will create an espresso-colored surface that will function as the backdrop of your art.
2. Decadent Cocktails
The wonderful thing about a milk frother is that you can use it in your kitchen or bar to spruce up your morning and evening drinks. Impress your friends the next time they come over for a drink, by spoiling them with velvety cocktails topped with light-as-air foam.
You can, for instance, use a milk frother to create “fluffy citrus,” which is citrus juice that’s aerated and has a fluffy and velvety texture. With fluffy citrus, you can elevate a plain cocktail such as the Garibaldi, which is essentially Campari and orange juice, to a drink that’s more attractive and exciting.
With a milk frother, you can also make more complex cocktails, such as the delectable Ramos Gin Fizz, in a fraction of the time, it would normally take. Inspire your guests with the Dizzy Delight, which you can make by shaking bourbon, grapefruit juice, star-anise-infused honey syrup, and Yellow Chartreuse. Remove the ice, add some cream, and then use your milk frother to create a bit of foam. Serve with sparkling water.
3. Delicious Dressings, Dips, and Whipped Cream
Your milk frother can be put to good use in the kitchen since it has many uses beyond producing frothy drinks. Instead of hauling out the electric blender, it’s far easier to use your handheld milk frother to whip up creamy dips and tasty salad dressings.
You can basically use your milk frother for any recipe that requires gentle whisking or mixing. To make aioli, for instance, add the following in a mixing bowl:
- A cup of olive oil
- An egg
- One egg yolk
- A teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- Two teaspoons of lemon juice
- Some salt and minced garlic
You then simply use your milk frother to whip the mixture into a thick and creamy sauce that will have your guests coming back for more.
Instead of using store-bought cream, you can also make thick, delicious whipped cream in no time with your milk frother. Get creative by adding different flavors to the cream, such as peppermint, cinnamon, or powdered sugar before whipping it. You only need to apply your milk frother for a minute or so before stiff peaks will start to form. If you like this post, check out our guide on milk frothing alternatives.
4. Creamy Smoothies
On those mornings when you’ve snoozed your alarm one too many times and are rushing around trying to get to work on time, you can put your milk frother to good use. Instead of going through the effort of using a blender, you can quickly make deliciously creamy smoothies with a milk frother.
You can easily, for instance, add protein powder to your morning smoothie with a milk frother, which will leave no powdery residue at the bottom of the mixture. A super quick and nutritious smoothie you can whip together in no time is a coconut tropical smoothie.
Mix a cup of coconut milk, a scoop of vanilla-flavored protein powder, and a splash of orange juice, and then give it some texture and a bit of foam by applying your milk frother for a few seconds.
Once the smoothie has a light, frothy texture, add some ice.
