| Step | Do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pan | Heavy-bottomed, rinsed with cold water first | Even heat; the film keeps milk from catching |
| Heat | Medium-low, never high | High heat scorches and boils over fast |
| Stir | Stir and scrape the bottom the whole time | Stops proteins and sugars sticking and burning |
| Stop | At steam and edge bubbles (~82°C), not a boil | Hot enough without scalding or boiling over |
How to Heat Milk Without Scalding It
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Use a heavy pan rinsed with cold water first, heat the milk over medium-low while stirring and scraping the bottom constantly, and take it off the moment it steams with small bubbles at the edge — around 82°C — rather than letting it boil. Milk scorches on the bottom and boils over in seconds, so gentle heat and never walking away are what keep it from burning.