Many recipes call for scalding the milk. It is easy to do, but you must watch it very carefully.
A good thing to keep in mind is the well-known aphorism "A watched pot never boils."
(This is of course not true, but a watched pot is much less likely to boil if you don't want it to.)

First, get a heavy-bottomed pot or pan.
Put the milk in the pan.
Put the pan on the stove over low heat.
Heat the milk slowly just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
Do not let it boil!
Remove from heat and add to recipe.

This is also a good cure for insomnia, especially if you add a little brandy and some honey.