If you’re someone who loves lattes or cappuccinos, you know that the key ingredients are steamed milk and espresso.
If you want to learn how to make espresso coffee, read our article on the subject.
Steamed milk is another tricky technique to master.
There are many devices and gadgets that claim to steam milk for you, but they fail to produce anything that closely resembles your usual coffee shop order.
To steam milk at home you need to use a machine that produces steam.
Espresso machines usually come with a steam wand. It takes a bit of time and practice to get perfect results with it. Other devices actually froth the milk instead of steaming it.
What’s the difference between frothed and steamed milk, and how can I try these techniques myself?
The answers to how to make perfectly steamed milk and Froth milk are provided in this article.
When we steam milk, we have complete control over the milk’s texture.
The amount of air that is let into the milk determines whether mountains of foam, or finely textured milk known as micro-foam, are produced.
That’s steaming. Now let’s talk about frothing.
There are many ways to froth milk for coffee. A French press, electric frother, or many other household gadgets can create froth.
A milk frother works similarly to a whisk as it breaks the surface of the milk and incorporates a lot of air to create thick, frothy milk.
Frothed milk made without expensive coffee equipement has some advantages, but it cannot create results that compare to steamed milk.
Steamed milk
Steaming is a method of preparing milk by heating it to change its temperature and texture. This allows it to be used in a variety of recipes.
A steam wand heats water to its boiling point and uses a pressurized system to direct the steam through a small channel. This creates a fine jet of steam that flows out of the end of the wand.
If the wand is submerged in cold milk, it will heat up the milk and make it frothy. The milk will be around 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit), which is too hot to touch.
The steamed milk consists of a liquid portion and a foamy layer. The ratio of these layers can be changed depending on the barista’s technique.
The recipe is calling for steamed milk, and then a layer of milk foam. This is simply referring to the different textured layers made from the same process.
Milk that has been turned into steam has a thick and bubbly texture which is good for making warm drinks that contain milk. You can add espresso to create a latte, cappuccino, macchiato, or flat white.
There are three types of coffee drinks made from a combination of steamed milk and espresso coffee. They differ in the ratio of steamed milk to milk foam used.
Another way to use steamed milk is to mix it with cocoa powder to make hot chocolate. You can also add it to brewed tea to make a tea-based latte. A chai latte is a type of latte that contains black tea, spices, and heated milk.
Steamed milk vs Frothed milk
A lot of confusion can arise between steamed milk and frothed milk because they are often used interchangeably. However, the resulting drink can be very different.
Steamed milk is milk that has been heated with a steam wand. The steam wand creates bubbles in the milk, which gives the milk a creamy texture.
To make frothed milk, you use something solid to beat air into the milk. This is often done using a milk frothing jug or wand. The milk may or may not be heated in the process.
Devices that aerate milk often leave large bubbles, making the texture lighter and less effective at holding its shape.
How to steam milk
Equipment
You need a steam wand and a jug to steam milk. A stainless steel pitcher is ideal as this allows you to monitor the temperature of the milk by touch as you steam it.
Choose a jug that can hold about twice the volume of milk you require and if you’re aiming for latte art then a longer spout will help with this. A wider base will help to retain heat so that the milk doesn’t cool too quickly whilst you’re steaming it. Choose a jug that can hold twice the amount of milk you need. If you want to make latte art, a longer spout will help. A wider base will help keep the milk warm while you’re steaming it.
Electric and stovetop espresso machines usually come with a steam wand attachment. These attachments can be expensive.
Choosing the right kind of milk
If you want to make good steamed milk, use milk that has a lot of fat. Whole milk or even half and half works best. Avoid skim milk.
There are a lot of types of plant-based milk available if you don’t eat animal products or if you’re unable to digest lactose.
If possible, choose a barista blend of almond, oat, coconut, or soy milk, as they have stabilizers added to help keep the texture of the micro-foam.
Keep it chilly
Heating milk that is already cold will result in a better outcome than if the milk was heated without being refrigerated first.
You need to be careful not to heat the milk too much when you steam it, because if the temperature gets too high, the proteins in the milk will get damaged and clump together, causing the milk to curdle.
Around 60C (140 degrees Fahrenheit) is the ideal temperature for plant-based milk.
If you want to pour a swan or a stacked tulip in your next coffee, here are some tips to help you.
1. Measure out your milk
First, choose your favorite milk.
It is important to remember that not all types of milk produce the same results when steamed, and some types of milk do not taste good in coffee. If you are unsure of which type of milk would work best for a latte, consult the section below.
To make your coffee, measure out the amount of milk you need and pour it into a steel milk pitcher. Be sure to use cold milk so that your coffee is the perfect temperature.
2. Purge the steam wand
First, remove any leftover water from the pipe using the steam wand. Next, clean the steam wand using a dedicated cloth to make sure there is no milky residue.
3. Position the milk jug
To make a latte, you should angle the steam wand away from the machine at 30 degrees. You should then stand in front of the machine and line up the pipe with the jug’s spout. Finally, you should submerge the nozzle about an inch into the milk.
Slightly tilt thejug back towards you, and rotate it about 30 degrees to your left(clockwise).
It will take some practice to position the milk jug and nozzle perfectly, but once you figure it out, you won’t need to think about it anymore.
4. Aerate the milk
The first step in creating milk for coffee that will create a beautiful texture is called aerating, or ‘stretching’.
We allow air into the milk by lowering the milk jug so that the nozzle of the steam wand is ever so slightly exposed.
If you’ve been to a coffee shop, you may have noticed the kissing sounds coming from behind the counter. These sounds are made by the barista aerating the milk. The best results come from making only tiny kissing sounds.
You’ll need to add different amounts of air to the milk, or make different frequencies of kissing sounds, depending on the coffee you’re making.
You want to be finished aerating the milk by the time it reaches 40 degrees Celsius, or around body temperature.
5. Get the whirlpool going
Once the milk is heated to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), raise the jug slightly so the nozzle is submerged and no more air is entering the milk.
Feeding the milk into the machine, we start the process by spinning the milk in a whirlpool until it reaches 60 degrees Celcius (140 Fahrenheit).
Spinning the milk will remove any large bubbles and improve the texture of the milk, making it smooth, velvety, and shiny.
A milk thermometer isn’t required, but it’s helpful because it lets you know the precise temperature of the milk.
6. Turn off the steam
When you’ve reached your desired temperature, turn off the steam and lower the jug. Place it down on the counter.
7. Clean the steam wand
With a cloth, wipe down the steam wand. Be careful, it’s hot.
Once you’ve finished cleaning, push the pipe back towards the espresso machine’s drip tray. Finally, turn on the steam wand for a second or two. This will get rid of any milk from the pipe.
8. Swirl and tap
With your dominant hand, hold the handle of the jug and swirl the milk.
If you need to, you can also tap the jug on the bench to remove any large bubbles that might be hanging around.
Pouring the milk is finished when it has gained a smooth, wet paint-like texture. To know if it is done, there should be no separations between the milk and the foam.
9. Pour
Cup of coffee in left hand, tilt. Get the tip of the milk jug close to the coffee. Begin to pour.
About halfway through, hold the jug higher and move it side to side.
After practicing a bit, you’ll be able to pour heart shapes, followed by rosettes or even swans, into your coffee.
Making a latte is more challenging than one might think and takes a lot of practice to perfect.
Avoid these common mistakes when steaming milk
Overheating the milk
If milk gets too hot, it will change the flavor, sweetness, and texture.
You’ll want to use a thermometer to ensure that the milk doesn’t get too hot; it should stay at or below 65 degrees Celsius (149 degrees Fahrenheit).
Most baristas don’t bother with a thermometer after they get used to how hot the milk should feel. I’m a total coffee nerd and love using a thermometer.
Aerating or texturizing for too long
When you steam milk for coffee, you are aerating and texturizing the milk. This process makes the milk much smoother and adds a great deal offoam.
If we vibrate the milk too much, it will become thin and watery. If we don’t vibrate it enough, it will become full of foam with large bubbles.
A good rule of thumb is to aerate the milk until it reaches 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), then to hold the nozzle below the milk’s surface and spin it.
Starting with warm milk
It’s best to start with milk that’s been refrigerated when steaming, this way you’ll achieve optimal results.
You won’t have enough time to make the milk smooth if you start with warm milk. Remember, we need to aerate the milk until it reaches approximately body temperature, and then we can move on to spinning it.
If we start with milk that is 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), the milk will not form into smooth butter, it will be a bubbly mess.
Not spinning the milk
When steaming milk, whirlpool the milk to ensure it’s smooth and free of large air bubbles.
If your milk doesn’t spin, the milk foam might be too bubbly and it won’t taste good in coffee.
Frothing milk
Manual milk frother
A milk frother jug with a built-in mesh plunger is a cost-effective way to steam milk without a steam wand.
To aerate milk using a jug, vigorously press the milk up and down. Jugs are often built to go on a stovetop so milk can be heated as well.
Instead of using a manual milk frother, you can use a French press coffee maker to get a similar result. The texture won’t be as good, but it’s a DIY option.
Frothing wand
A frothing wand is not as popular as a milk frother jug, but it gives a similar result. It is an electric whisk that does not heat the milk up.
Frothy milk makers are a budget-friendly and user-friendly option for making frothy milk at home.
Balloon whisk
The best type of whisk for hand whisking milk is a balloon whisk because it creates the smallest air bubbles. However, it won’t create the thick texture you’re looking for, but it will add some air to the milk.
If you only have this and you really want to make frothy milk, it can work in a pinch.
A hand mixer with a whisk attachment can also be used for a similar result, although it will not require as much effort.
Conclusion
The only way to make steamed milk like a barista is by using a steam wand.
You can make frothy milk using an immersion blender, mason jar, or any other method. just make sure to clean the equipment after.
No matter which method you use to steam milk, it just takes some practice to get the bubbles right.
When making latte art, it is important to start with cold milk, aerate the milk until it reaches body temperature, and then spin out the bubbles until the milk is hot.