4 Homemade Ways To Froth Milk For Cappuccino And Latte

The trend of making cappuccino and latte at home emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coffee shops, like many other establishments, closed, and people had to learn to make their favorite drinks at home. And for those who didn’t have an expensive coffee machine, baristas came up with several simple and effective ways to whip milk into thick foam using improvised means.

Milk Experiment: Idea and Props

There are different ways to froth milk, but not everyone succeeds the first time. The foam may not come out at all or it may not be thick enough. Are you being deceived or are you doing something wrong? Let's try to figure it out.

In the TCHK laboratory, together with trainer and barista Dmitry Korsakov, we tested four methods of frothing milk:

- a frother, which is included with some Nespresso machines;
- French press;
- manual cappuccino maker;
- plastic bottle.

In addition to the listed accessories, to prepare cappuccino and latte you will need a pitcher (a regular milk jug with a spout will do), a portion of strong coffee and milk. In our case, the basis for the drink was espresso, but you can take any other strong brewed coffee. From a Turk and a moka pot will also work. But the fat content and brand of milk do not matter much.

Professional plant milk, skim milk, and lactose-free milk whip up thick foam equally well. However, for your first experiment with whipping, I would recommend taking ultra-pasteurized milk with a fat content of at least 3.2%. This way, you will have fewer chances of failure.

We also recommend heating the milk to 65°C for the first time. Without a special thermometer, you can determine the temperature by feel: it does not burn your hands yet, but it is already quite hot for drinking. However, professionals can also whip up cold milk - they make iced latte from it.

Method #1: Nespresso Frother

Beating time: 60 sec.

If you have a capsule coffee machine equipped with a frother, you are very lucky. It is the easiest way to froth milk with such a device: you do not have to adjust the rotation angle, or control the frothing intensity and temperature.

However, it is necessary to ensure that the foam does not escape from the container. Therefore, it is better to fill the cup with milk no more than a third. The entire process will take about a minute - this is exactly how much time is needed to whip the milk into foam suitable for making cappuccino.
Cappuccino is prepared in a ratio of 1:4. For a standard portion, take 30 ml of coffee and about 120–150 ml of milk (including foam). Pour the frothed milk into a glass with ready coffee and let the foam fall to the top.

For the first time, it is best to prepare cappuccino in a transparent glass - this way you will be able to assess the quality and thickness of the foam (it takes up 1.5-2 cm of the glass) and adjust the proportions of coffee and milk.

Method #2. French press

Beating time: 30 sec.

A French press is a simple and affordable way to froth milk. However, if you have previously used it to brew tea or make alternative coffee, first thoroughly rinse the flask and especially the plunger.

1. Fill the French press halfway or a third full with milk. No more, otherwise it will spill over onto the table when you whip it and it gets bigger.
2. Hold the lid with one hand and grab the plunger with the other and begin to whisk the milk with quick up-and-down movements. Raise the plunger 2–3 cm above the surface of the liquid to capture a portion of oxygen and mix it into the milk.
3. Beat until you feel that the required amount of foam has formed.

It is not recommended to leave milk for a long time (the foam may settle), so prepare coffee for cappuccino or latte in advance.

If milk is poured into espresso when making cappuccino, then in the case of latte it's the other way around. The foam is poured into an empty glass, left to settle and separate, and only then is a shot of espresso poured. The remains of the foam are used to mask the dark spot from the espresso on the surface of the drink.

Method No. 3. Manual cappuccino maker

Beating time: 40 sec.

A hand-held cappuccino maker is an affordable and inexpensive device that is sold on any marketplace. At the same time, it froths milk for cappuccino quite well.

1. Place the whisk into the milk and turn it on.
2. Form a funnel.
3. Catch the required angle of rotation so that the milk is well mixed with the foam, and the foam is constantly moistened with milk, which tends to settle to the bottom.
4. Pour the milk into a pitcher or milk jug, beat off large bubbles by lightly tapping it on the table surface. And only then add it to the glass with the drink.

Usually, in coffee shops, baristas immediately heat and froth the milk in a pitcher. At home, it is needed to prepare the most beautiful layered drink. When pouring milk into espresso, the foam forms a small white circle on the surface. You can give it the shape of the sun with a toothpick or decorate it with cinnamon using a stencil.

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