frothing milk

Frighteningly detailed guide to frothing milk over at coffee geek. For beginners, though, perhaps it’s better to think about it more simply.

Start with cold milk, in a metal jug with a pouring spout. No more than half-full.

Remove any “froth enhancing” elements on your steam wand – they’ll over-lift the milk, and it won’t have a chance to heat up properly.

Two phases to frothing the milk: making the texture, then heating the milk (if it still needs it).

To make the texture, aim the steam just at the surface of the milk; it should move around like a whirlpool if you’re holding the jug at the right angle: you may need to tilt the jug a little.

Once the milk has the right texture (you’ll need to experiment to work this out: if it looks like dishwashing foam, you’ve put in too much air), move on to heating the milk: put the steam wand below the surface of the milk. Either use a thermometer, or keep your hand at the base of the milk jug: when it’s too hot to hold comfortably, it’s about ready.

Pour carefully: not too much distance between the jug and the cup, and don’t pour too quickly. Experiment with moving the jug to create latte art (a skill in itself).

Join the Conversation

4 Comments

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.