How to steam and froth milk
Good milk is half of a good flat white. The aim is silky, glossy milk with tiny bubbles you cannot see, not stiff foam or big bubbles. It takes practice, but a few simple habits make a big difference.
The right temperature for your milk
| Milk | Steam it to |
|---|---|
| Full cream | 60 to 65°C |
| Skim | 60 to 65°C |
| Oat | 55 to 60°C |
| Soy | 55 to 60°C |
| Almond | 55 to 60°C |
Plant milks are best a little cooler. Soy can split if it gets too hot. For oat, soy and almond, a barista edition foams much better than the regular carton.
No thermometer? The jug is ready when it gets too hot to keep your hand on for more than a second or two.
How much foam each drink needs
- Flat white: thin, about 5mm
- Latte: about 1cm
- Cappuccino: about 1.5cm, with chocolate on top
- Piccolo and long mac topped up: thin, like a flat white
What you need
- An espresso machine with a steam wand
- A stainless steel milk jug
- Cold milk, straight from the fridge
Step by step
- Start cold. Use cold milk, and a cold jug if you can. It gives you more time to get it right.
- Fill the jug about a third. Just below where the spout starts. Milk grows as it steams.
- Purge the wand. Turn the steam on for a second into a cloth to clear out any water.
- Stretch it. Put the wand tip just under the surface, near the side of the jug, and turn the steam on fully. You should hear a gentle “tsss” like paper tearing. Lower the jug slowly as the milk rises. Stretch for longer for a cappuccino, and only briefly for a flat white.
- Spin it. Once you have enough foam, lift the jug so the tip sits a little deeper. The milk should spin in a whirlpool, which mixes the foam through and keeps it silky.
- Stop at the right temperature. Turn the steam off before you take the wand out.
- Clean the wand straight away. Wipe it with a damp cloth and purge it again.
- Tap and swirl. Tap the jug on the bench to pop any big bubbles, then swirl until the milk looks glossy, like wet paint. Pour straight away.
Fixing milk that is not right
- Big bubbles: the tip was too high. Keep it just under the surface.
- Loud screeching: the tip was too deep while stretching. Bring it up a touch until you hear the “tsss”.
- Flat milk with no foam: you did not stretch it long enough. Stretch for a little longer at the start.
- Stiff, dry foam that sits on top: too much stretching, or not enough spinning. Spin longer and swirl before you pour.
- Split plant milk: it got too hot. Stop a few degrees earlier.
No steam wand?
You can froth warm milk in a plunger. Heat the milk until hot but not boiling, pour it into the plunger, and pump the plunger up and down quickly for about 20 seconds. Tap and swirl, then pour. It will not be as silky as a steam wand, but it makes a good stovetop latte.
For the shots and milk amounts for your cup size, use the latte calculator or the flat white calculator.