🥛 Ginger Milk: A dessert miracle that only happens when it's hot

As a dessert lover, every time I see "ginger milk" on the menu at a dessert shop in Shunde or Hong Kong, I can't resist ordering a bowl! Its magic lies in using the simplest ingredients— fresh milk and ginger juice —without adding any coagulants to create a smooth, custard-like jelly. But the key is that ginger milk must be served hot , otherwise it won't work. Why is that? Let's unravel the secret behind it.

📜 A brief historical story about ginger milk

1. The Origin of Shunde’s Famous Dim Sum

Ginger milk originated in Shunde, Guangdong, and is known as one of the "Three Famous Lingnan Desserts." Legend has it that locals, adapting to local conditions and utilizing the abundant ginger and buffalo milk, accidentally discovered that adding ginger juice to milk would naturally solidify, eventually evolving this traditional dessert into a household name.

2. Origin of the name

The phrase "ginger milk" is quite graphic: hot milk is quickly poured into ginger juice, instantly creating a bowl of smooth jelly. The word "collision" evokes a sense of action and surprise.

🧪 Why must it be hot?

1. The scientific principles of solidification

• Ginger juice contains an enzyme called ginger protease , which can break down protein.
• When hot milk (about 70°C or above) is added to ginger juice, the protein in the milk (mainly casein) will denature due to the heat and then react with ginger protease to form a gel-like structure.
• If the milk is not hot enough, the protein will not denature successfully and the ginger milk will fail, and it will only become a bowl of "ginger milk soup" 😅.

2. Heat maintains taste

The allure of ginger milk lies in its melt-in-your-mouth texture. Heat helps the curdled milk remain soft and delicate, preventing it from becoming too firm. Once cooled, the texture becomes rough and may even become watery, completely losing its soul.

3. Ginger's cold-dispelling effect

Ginger itself has the ability to dispel cold and warm the stomach , but its effectiveness is greatly reduced if eaten cold. Eating it hot allows the ginger's spicy and cold-dispelling properties to take full advantage, and combined with the moisturizing properties of milk, it is simply the best health-promoting dessert in winter.

🌟 Features of ginger milk

1. Three Elements

• Aroma : spicy ginger aroma
• Smooth : The milk jelly is dense and smooth
• Warmth : Hot food brings comfort

2. Visual and taste enjoyment

A bowl of successful ginger milk tea has a smooth, flawless surface, like white jade. It has a slight ginger spice, followed by a milky aroma, and the heat flows directly into the stomach, warming it completely.

🍵 Why has it become a classic?

1. Simple yet magical

With just two ingredients, you can create natural milk jelly, which is completely a wonderful magic of nature🪄.

2. Healthy and delicious

Guangdong people pay attention to diet therapy. Ginger milk can nourish the stomach and dispel cold, and it can also moisturize the body. No wonder it has remained popular for decades.

3. Local cultural symbols

Shunde people are proud of "eating in Shunde". Ginger milk is a representative of the local culinary wisdom. Later, it spread to Hong Kong, Macau, and then overseas.

🍧 Variation and Innovation

Although traditional ginger milk must be eaten hot, there are innovative versions in recent years:

• Ginger Milk Jelly : Use gelatin instead of natural solidification, suitable for summer eating❄️
• Ginger Milk Ice Cream/Mousse : A fusion of East and West, a favorite among young people🍨
• Ginger Milk Cheese Cup : Add cheese milk cap to turn it into a trendy dessert🧀

However, for gourmets, the most authentic and touching thing is always a bowl of hot and spicy ginger milk.

💡 Editor's Summary

Ginger milk must be eaten hot. The reasons are a combination of scientific principles, health wisdom, and cultural background :

• Heat denatures milk protein, allowing it to coagulate successfully.
• Hot food retains a smooth and tender texture, but frozen food will fail
• Ginger's stomach-warming effect requires heat to complement it.

For me, every time I sit down at a dessert shop and hold a bowl of hot ginger milk, it feels like receiving a warm hug. This feeling of happiness cannot be compared to the frozen version!

👉 Next time someone asks you if they want to try "Iced Ginger Milk," remember to tell them like an expert: Real ginger milk is always hot! 🔥🥛