Tag: coffee ingredients

UHT milk for coffee – convenience in a pot

Posted on by Sara Walker

UHT milk coffeeHotels and transport companies often supply customers with individual pots of UHT milk to accompany their coffee, but just what is it and why is it so popular?

UHT stands for ultra heat temperate processed, or ultra heat treated. It refers to fresh milk that’s been heated for only one or two seconds at a temperature exceeding 135 degrees celcius, to kill off any bacteria. Although we associate the process, which has been commercially available since the 1970s, with milk, many other products are also processed in this way including fruit juice and cream.

Advantages

The major benefit of UHT milk is that the shelf life is enormously extended – most treated milk has a shelf life of six to nine months in an unopened carton, compared to only a day or two for fresh milk. This makes it suitable for areas where there’s no refrigeration, as it can be stored at an ambient temperature. It’s also very popular in countries with hotter climates, which refrigeration is less efficient, and is more environmentally friendly than fresh milk, as the heat treating process requires less energy than the constant refridgeration required for the fresh product.

Disadvantages

Although the milk retains a similar calorie content once heat treated, it does lose some nutrients, and the process causes the taste and smell of the milk to change. Once opened, UHT milk needs to be refrigerated and used as fresh milk.

UHT milk and coffee

For areas where there’s no or limited refrigeration available, such as offices or aeroplanes, UHT milk portions are the obvious choice. The individual pots reduce wastage through spillage or spoiling, and there are no hygiene issues.

Our UHT milk pots are a great value option for offices or caterers, and can be used anywhere. For more information or to see our range of other milk products, please visit our coffee ingredients page.

 

 

Powdered milk for coffee

Posted on by Sara Walker

Milk_glassAlthough powdered milk in coffee isn’t everyone’s first choice, there are some situations when it’s the only practical solution. For automatic coffee machines in shops and workplaces, powdered milk is hygenic, long lasting and doesn’t require refrigeration or the constant cleaning of the machine, making it a sensible choice when refilling needs to be kept to a minimum.

What is powdered milk?

Powdered milk starts life as standard milk, either full fat or skimmed, which goes through an evaopration process to remove the liquid and leave a dry residue. A lot of powdered milk is using in catering or baby products, and the latter often has extra vitamins and minerals added prior to sale.

How’s it made?

On arrival at the processing plant from the farm, the milk goes through a quality control process before passing into an evaporator which has been specially adapted to allow the liquid to boil at a lower temperature. This means that the liquid is extracted without any damage to the milk, which could otherwise scorch. It’s also pasturised at this stage. Once around half the liquid’s gone, the remaining fluid goes through a separator, to split it out into cream (which is removed for later use) and skimmed milk. The skimmed milk is standardised to make sure the product always has a consistant nutritional profile, then it goes to a drying tower where it’s swirled rapidly through the air until the remaining liquid evaporates.

Finally, the dry powder is packaged appropriately, and some is sent out for use in coffee machines, or to be stirred directly into cups of coffee.

There are various grades and brands of powdered milk available, some of which are formulated specifically for machine use. If you’re looking for powdered milk to restock a machine, please visit our coffee ingredients page to browse our range.

 

Alternative hot drinks for coffee shops

Posted on by Sara Walker

KakaopulverWith coffee now the most popular hot drink in the world, and a wealth of coffee shops, cafés and other retailers set up to service the growing demand, non coffee drinkers could be in danger of feeling left out.

While some people can’t tolerate caffeine for medical reasons, others might not like the taste or simply fancy a change, and most retailers now cater for customers who, for whatever reason, would rather not drink coffee.

Athough most retailers already have a range of alternatives available, such as tea, herbal infusions and decaffeinated coffee, customers will often choose a ‘treat’ drink, such as speciality hot chocolate.

Although traditionally a ‘winter warmer’ drink, hot chocolate’s popular with children all year round, and with many sweet-toothed adults as well. If it’s a miserable, drizzly day outside, few people can resist a tall glass of frothy hot chocolate, with its overtones of cashmere blankets and log fires. It’s also a drink that few people would think of making for themselves at home, which makes it an appealing choice in a coffee shop.

If you’re thinking about offering hot chocolate in your business, there’s now a wide range of powder on the market to suit all tastes, from high chocolate content powder for adults, right through to everyone’s childhood favourite, Cadburys. You could even think about introducing a hot chocolate menu, with house specialities or ‘hot chocolate cocktails’ incorporating extra ingredients such as marshmallows, chocolate sprinkles, cream, cream, orange or mint liqueur or spices such as nutmeg or cinnamon.

Whatever you decide to add, make sure that your hot chocolate’s as a poor substitute for coffee – don’t forget to invest in some glasses or tall mugs specifically for the chocolate, to make the drink look attractive. For a wide range of hot chocolate powders for every occasion, as well as other coffee ingredients, visit our ingredients page.