Home > Articles > Frothing Tips How to froth with the finest 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.