Most
places that serve cappuccinos in the United States 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 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.
The
Technique:
Purge
the steam wand onto a damp towel by releasing the valve
for a few seconds. Be very careful not to burn yourself,
the steam will be extremely hot. This purging will get all
of the water out so you don’t get it in your milk.
Next,
submerge the wand into the milk and quickly turn the steam
on full power. Avoid letting the tip of the wand come out
of the milk. This will cause splattering and create large,
tasteless bubbles.
Adjust
the wand so that it is pointing off center in order to get
the milk to flowing in a rapid, circular motion. Maintaining
this fast, circulating vortex is vital.
Then,
slowly lower the pitcher until the tip of the wand is just
below the surface of the milk (keeping the circulation going).
When you can hear a hissing noise, similar to bacon frying,
you have reached the perfect position for the wand to inject
air into the milk.
Keep
the pitcher still. There is no need to move the pitcher
in a circular or up and down motion like many would have
you believe. The pressure of the steam will keep the milk
flowing.
Try
to maintain this hissing noise while keeping the milk rotating.
You will have to slowly lower the pitcher as the milk volume
rises in order to keep the wand tip just under the surface.
By
keeping the milk flowing in a rapid circle, any large bubbles
that are accidentally created will be rolled into the milk
and eliminated. Continue steaming until the milk reaches
145 degrees. Be careful not to get the milk too hot, it
will scald giving it a bad taste.
You
will notice that by the time the milk reaches 145 degrees,
the volume of the milk will have increased significantly.
The lower the fat content of the milk, the more the volume
will rise. A higher fat milk or even heavy cream can be
used for a richer texture and taste.
That’s
pretty much it! If you have a few large bubbles, you can
try to get rid of them by tapping the bottom of the pitcher
lightly on the counter. Serve immediately and enjoy some
of the silkiest frothed milk you have ever tasted!
From
the picture, notice the rolling appearance of the milk with
only a few large bubbles. Also take note of the wand's tip
barely beneath the surface and pointed in a way to really
get the milk rotating quickly.
Frothing
Tip: To
keep the milk from reaching the proper temperature before
the desired texture is achieved, use a steel pitcher and
ice cold milk straight from the refrigerator or even add
an ice cube or two!
One
More Thing:
Now
that you know how to properly steam the milk, notice how
few coffee houses have baristas that take care in this process
(mostly because they have never been trained). Very few
use thermometers and end up scalding the milk, or leaving
it too cold.
Most
will just leave the pitcher sitting there while the wand
blows into the milk. Some will use an up and down motion,
but this does absolutely nothing for creating tiny, velvety
bubbles. It’s the rolling action of the milk and that hissing
noise from the wand tip being just under the surface that’s
necessary.
If
you find a barista that shows this skill of frothing milk,
then stay with him! He’s been trained and probably takes
pride in what he does.
Here
is a video showing some latte art that can be learned once
you've become comfortable making drinks.
