How to Froth Milk With an Espresso Machine
Updated
Frothing and steaming are the same operation stopped at different points. For a cappuccino, let air in for four to five seconds to build volume; for a latte or flat white, stop the air at two to three seconds and spend the rest of the time spinning the milk smooth. The difference between the drinks is made in those first seconds, not afterwards.
Froth versus microfoam
'Froth' usually describes stiff, visible foam that sits on top of a drink; 'microfoam' describes milk that has been aerated and then spun until the bubbles are invisible, so it pours as a single glossy liquid. A cappuccino traditionally wants the former, a latte and a flat white want the latter.
Both come from the same wand and the same technique. You control which one you get by how long you leave the tip at the surface.
By drink
Cappuccino: aerate four to five seconds, then submerge and spin. You are aiming for roughly double the starting volume with a distinct foam layer.
Latte: aerate two to three seconds, then spin for the remainder. Volume should increase only slightly.
Flat white: aerate barely at all — one to two seconds — and spend the rest of the time texturing. The result should be almost liquid.
Macchiato: aerate as for cappuccino but use much less milk in the pitcher.
If you do not have a steam wand
A handheld frother or a French press will aerate milk, and a microwave will heat it, but nothing except a steam wand heats and textures at once. That simultaneity is what produces microfoam, which is why machines with assisted panarello frothers make good cappuccinos and disappointing flat whites.
Automatic milk systems on bean-to-cup machines get around this differently, by controlling air injection and temperature electronically. Several publish separate settings for dairy, oat, soy and almond.
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Frequently asked
- What is the difference between frothing and steaming?
- They are the same action stopped at different points. Frothing emphasises the air-introduction phase; steaming for microfoam emphasises the spinning phase that breaks the bubbles down.
- Which milk froths best?
- Whole dairy milk is the most forgiving because its fat and protein stabilise the foam. Among plant milks, barista-formulated oat is the most consistent; skimmed milk foams enormously but the foam is dry and collapses.
- Can I re-steam milk?
- No. Once milk has been heated past about 160°F the proteins have denatured and it will not texture again — it will only froth into large bubbles.
- Why does my milk taste burnt?
- It was taken too hot. Above roughly 160°F the sweetness disappears and a cooked flavour takes its place. Stop when the pitcher is just too hot to hold.