Do This To Prevent The Plant Milk From Curdling In Your Coffee
Every morning you wake up, looking forward to a morning cup of coffee. You shuffle to the coffeemaker, pour the brew into your favorite mug, go to the fridge, grab some plant-based milk, add few splashes, and — within just a few minutes — and all you have is a gross, curdled mess. What's a caffeine-deprived person to do?
Well, first of all, it helps to know that there's a reason for the curdling creamer. And it all comes down to acidity and temperature, according to Science Sparks. Coffee is more acidic than plant-based milk, and it's also hotter than the refrigerated or room temp milk carton. The combination of acidic versus non-acidic liquid, as well as hot and cold temperatures, means major curdling action. So, to prevent this, it would make sense that you'll need to address either issue — or both.
To reduce the acidity in coffee, you can simply switch coffee types. According to Coffee Chronicler, it's oftentimes that African origin coffee beans are more acidic than South American sources. The other option is to cut coffee with water by adding more H2O and less grounds to the coffeemaker — it will be less strong but also less acidic.
To address the temperature issue, you can always let your coffee cool off before adding the milk (even if it is difficult to wait) or, conversely, you can always heat up your milk a bit on the stove or with a milk frother. Just use a thermometer on the side of the saucepan to ensure you don't heat your milk above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which could end up scalding you.
Are certain plant milks less likely to curdle?
Certain plant milks are definitely more likely to curdle than others, again, due to acidity. Plant milks that are more likely to curdle, according to High Speed Training, include soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, and rice milk. However, one of the plant milks less likely to curdle is oat milk. In fact, it's so reliable for consistency that it's sometimes marketed to baristas as a foam-able milk for lattes (via Moral Fibres).
Still, even with oat milk, you can sometimes run into curdling. It's just the nature of plant-based milks. If you've switched to oat milk and still experience this from time to time, go back to the drawing board and see where you can adjust either the acidity or temperature. In many instances, it may just be a matter of trial and error until finding the perfect method for making your vegan-friendly coffee drink both taste and look good.