Why does coconut milk separate in coffee?
When I put coconut milk in coffee, curds and lumps form, which does not look good in coffee. When I heat coconut milk, curds are still form. What can I do to avoid this?
Best Answer
Regular milk is an emulsion - a liquid [fat] suspended in another liquid [water], in its simplest terms.
Coconut milk is a suspension - a solid suspended in a liquid.
Mixing an emulsion into another similar liquid base tends to remain emulsified.
Mixing a suspension into another liquid, there is a distinct possibility that the two will re-separate, due to the heat-shock, & form clumps.
Perhaps if you pre-heated the coconut milk, it may tend to mitigate that, though your tests would seem to say otherwise.
I'd hesitate to say add a thickener first, such as cornflower, & preheat - this would bind it, but I'm not sure the result would be pleasant.
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Quick Answer about "Why does coconut milk separate in coffee?"
Coconut milk is a suspension - a solid suspended in a liquid. Mixing an emulsion into another similar liquid base tends to remain emulsified. Mixing a suspension into another liquid, there is a distinct possibility that the two will re-separate, due to the heat-shock, & form clumps.How do you keep coconut milk from separating in coffee?
Pour Milk First Pour the plant milk into the mug first, then slowly pour in the desired amount of coffee. This will help temper the milk and bring it up to the coffee temp, preventing unwanted curdles in your cup of Joe.How do you keep coconut milk from separating?
Simply stirring the coconut milk will blend the curds back again. To prevent large curds from forming when you cook coconut milk, 'stir often' does the trick.Why is my coconut creamer separating in my coffee?
The acidity in coffee is the main reason why you observe the creamer curdling in your coffee. Whether you are using dairy milk or a creamer based on almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or any other plant-based milk, if your coffee is acidic, the chances of it curdling your creamer are high.Is coconut milk supposed to be chunky in coffee?
You're essentially cooling the coconut milk fats with ice past their solidification state which is causing the lumps. You can try using coconut creamers that are specifically designed for coffee since in my experience they do not clump with iced coffee.Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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