|
Frothing (or foaming) milk properly is essential for creating
a genuine espresso drink, like a cappuccino or
macchiato. I can’t tell you how many times
a glassy-eyed bandana-clad teenager has served
me up a cappuccino with flat foam on top.
Indeed, there is no sense in even distinguishing
between a cappuccino and a latte if the foam is absent or corrupted.
What’s my goal? Big bubbles are out!
Well, not entirely. But, the point is that it’s
not necessarily the case that the more bubbles
the better, particularly if the bubbles are
large and thin. What you are trying to produce
is a thickened milk whose texture resembles
stiff beaten egg whites.
What do I need?
Without a frothing
device (like Capresso’s Froth
Xpress), you’ll need to get a hold of the following:
-
Stainless
steel frothing pitcher
-
Thermometer (optional,
but very convenient. There are even Cappuccino thermometers that hook on
the side of the pitcher!)
-
Cold milk (the colder the better, shoot for around 50 degrees)
-
Large spoon (Tablespoon or larger)
-
Lots of patience
Heed that last bit, please. Frothing milk is an art, and those
of us who consider ourselves beverage artists take great pride in the ability to produce foam
correctly. But it takes time. Usually, when we get employees in our cafes who have
no prior barista experience, it takes a solid week until comfort sets in.
How do I do it?
Your frothing device will have a valve on it which releases
the pressurized steam. Most of the time, the "frothing device" is a cappuccino
machine.
-
Fill your milk pitcher half way with cold milk.
-
Place the tip of the frothing wand just below the surface
of the milk, about ¼”- ½” below the milk surface level.
-
Slightly tilt the pitcher (if the bottom of the pitcher is parallel with the floor, then
tilt it the rear bottom part of the pitcher about 15 degrees). Make sure to tilt the
front of the pitcher towards the frothing device.
-
Release the valve to full blast (if there are incremental settings). There’s no
sense in holding back.
-
A high-pitched squeal will be produced from the steam flowing into the milk. As this
happens, you will notice the level of milk will begin to rise.
-
If you see large bubbles form on top and hear lots of gurgling, the tip of
the wand is not down deeply enough.
-
If you see no foam form on the milk surface, and hear a deep, throaty wine,
the wand is down too deeply.
-
When the milk foam forms on top and ascends the surface level of the milk in the pitcher
by about ½”, bring the tip of the wand up again, so that it is again about ¼” – ½” below
the (now higher) surface of the milk.
-
Keep doing this (raising the tip of the wand just below the surface level of the milk)
until a foam dome is formed at the very top of the pitcher.
-
We like to heat the rest (non-foamed) of the milk up to about 180 degrees. Some
machines, like the Capresso Froth Express, can only heat the milk to about 110
degrees. In the end, however, it is a matter of taste. Once the temperature
reaches 180 degrees, stop heating the milk.
-
Use your large spoon to scoop the foam from the top half of the pitcher.
-
If the milk reaches 180 degrees, and you have very little foam, try again, following the
directions above exactly.
Still stuck? Give us a call at 877-JLHUFFORD (554 8336), and we’ll
be happy to walk you through it.
|
