The perfect milk foam
There is a good reason why coffee connoisseurs want to make the perfect milk foam at home: Italian coffee specialties like cappuccino or latte macchiato thrive on the soft milk foam that covers the espresso. To give the foam a fine texture, you need a little flair - and practice. We'll show you how to prepare the perfect milk foam with the help of a milk foam frother.
You need these accessories
Preparation step by step
Suitable coffees
Milk foam
The basis for latte art is milk foam. To ensure the right consistency, the drawing and rolling phases should be observed. Optimal properties of the milk:
• The milk should be refrigerator cold.
Tip: Also place the milk jug in the refrigerator so that it also cools the milk, giving you plenty of time to froth the milk.
• Optimum fat content: 3.3 - 4.0%.
• Optimal protein content: 3.3 - 3.5 %.
• The final temperature of the milk should be 60 - 68 °C.
• The required steam pressure should be approx. 1 bar.
• The milk should be filled max. up to the beginning of the milk jug outlet.
General
Milk frothing nozzles of fully automatic coffee machines and portafilter machines with a pressure of about 1 bar give the best results. It is also important which milk you use for the milk foam. It works best with whole milk. It has a fat content of 3.3 to 4.0 percent and contains 3.3 to 3.5 percent protein. The proteins ensure stable foam pores, while the fat content provides the flavor. Read our tips for making the perfect milk foam.
In Italia / All' Italiana
In Italy, stiff foam and coarse bubbles are frowned upon. Rather, the texture of milk foam resembles a very fine-pored and almost liquid cream. Therefore, when Italian baristi make milk foam, you won't hear any bubbling sounds. Instead, the fine draw characterizes the soundscape of espresso bars.
Tipp
Instead of UHT milk, use fresh whole milk to make your milk foam. This is because processing it into long-life milk changes its protein structure. UHT milk foams up well, but does not become as creamy as whole milk.