Frothing Milk

Frothing / Steaming Milk

Many places serving cappuccinos and other espresso-related coffees in the USA and other countries have not trained their Baristas in the art of properly frothing milk.

The foam that they create is usually a dry, tasteless, large celled collection of bubbles that sit on top of the espresso like a meringue.

With a little care, you can create steamed milk that is velvety smooth like the texture of wet shaving cream. The bubbles will be so small that you can barely see them!

This is the way it’s supposed to be, because this way, it will blend with the espresso, creating a harmony of the flavors instead of a dry, tasteless cap floating on top.

Let’s Begin by Steaming!

First off, it’s important to start with cold milk that’s just out of the fridge. I recommend using either 1% or 2% milk. It will create a better foam than whole milk and tastes better (in my opinion) than low fat.

Pour the milk into the steaming pitcher until it is just about 1/3 of the way full. Milk will double to triple in volume after the frothing process when performed properly.

A stainless steel pitcher works best. It will dissipate some of the heat, allowing more time to infuse air into the milk before the milk gets too hot.

Also, in the beginning, use a thermometer to get the milk to the correct temperature of 145°F. There are many thermometers made for this purpose that will clip onto the side of the pitcher for convenience. With practice, you will have learned what 145°F feels like and you can lose the thermometer and stop when the temperature feels right.