A heat diffuser is a type of kitchen utensil that has several major functions and can be used to ease the process of cooking in many different ways, depending on the type of the diffuser, the cookware, and the stove.
The types of diffusers differ in shape and material. We will see how to use two main types: the one that is covered with holes and the one that looks like a thin metal plate.
The main function of a heat diffuser is to distribute heat evenly so that everything you cook could get an equal amount of heat.
While cooking with regular saucepans and frying pans, it often happens that the so-called “hot spots” occur, meaning places that get more heat than the rest of the cooking surface. A heat diffuser can help cope with this kind of problem.
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Let’s see what else you can do with such a utensil to use it effectively:
Use it when cooking on electric stove-tops
A heat diffuser is not that necessary when cooking on a gas stove since it is assumed that this kind of stove distributes heat more evenly due to the peculiarities of the construction.
However, things are different with an electric stove top, which is usually made from glass or ceramic, or those having a coil construction. To eliminate uneven heat distribution, use a heat diffuser any time you use this kind of hob.
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Use it when slow cooking is requires
Slow cooking has never been an easy thing since the probability that something will burn is rather high. If you have a meal that requires slow cooking or simmering (such as bone broth or any kind of sauce), it’s better to use a heat diffuser no matter which kind of hob you have.
Use it as a toaster
It may happen sometimes that the pieces of bread we want to heat are bigger than the toaster. Using a diffuser that has a lot of small holes, you can heat bread directly on the stove and get an evenly-heated piece within some minutes. You can perform the same trick while heating tortillas or anything that requires melting cheese.
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Use to make flatbread
Making flatbread on a regular stove can be difficult sometimes. The frying pan can be too hot and it doesn’t have holes that allow the hot air to travel freely so that a flat and thin layer of dough could rise and transform into a light thin flatbread peace.
If you are a flatbread fan, you can use a heat diffuser with holes to ease the process: start by making a regular flatbread on the frying pan, and when it is almost ready and heated enough, move it to the diffuser. The volume will increase and the flatbread will rise within seconds.
Use it as an oven
It’s surprising how such a simple device with holes can transform a cooktop into a complete oven. To do so, you will have to acquire an additional utensil called a melting dome.
It is a device that helps you to concentrate heat and therefore to get this oven-like effect on your stove. It is also great to use this kind of mini-oven as a barbeque facility: you can cook hamburger meat or any other kind of meat this way.
The oven effect can also be used for making small pizzas: the dough will rise evenly and the result will look as if a pizza was cooked in a real pizza oven.
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Use it to adapt all your cookware to an induction hob
We have already discussed with you that there are different types of heat diffusers. To use this hack, you will have to acquire one that looks like a flat plate with a handle. It is usually thin, has no holes, and is made of stainless steel.
If you have installed an induction hob and noticed that not every piece of your cookware you have used to cook on an electric or a gas stove suited the induction, you can solve this problem with a particular heat diffuser.
Such materials as glass, aluminum, or copper don’t go with induction, so put them on a heat diffuser. This trick works even if the temperature is relatively low.