Okay, so you’ve pulled the perfect shot and now you want to create a sweet, creamy latte or cappuccino. You’re going to need to know how to steam milk to a velvety “wetpaint” texture. Investing in a nicer at home espresso machine, meaning something that is equipped to have a high pressure steam wand, could help getting you closer to desired results – but before you throw out your old faithful, let’s hear some tips from a barista.
First, you want to consider what milk to use. Learning the steaming process is easiest with whole milk. Due to the thicker texture from fats found in whole milk, you will find steaming is slightly more intuitive. All milks can be steamed, but you will find that skim milk never truly settles like whole milk and alternative milks will challenge you in microfoam creation. Using oat or nut milks is possible, but with alternative milks you will need to try out more options until you find a desired fit. If the alternative milk doesn’t have a similar fat ratio to whole milk you will find you can steam a nice hot latte, but microfoam will be elusive.
Second, your pitcher matters. Creating microfoam, which is the texture you want your milk to be, requires a strong vortex once you submerge your steam wand into your milk. If your pitcher is too big or small you may be challenged in learning how to consistently steam microfoam. I recommend your pitcher be 12-16 oz to start out, once you get the hang of creating microfoam, any pitcher will do. I also recommend a pitcher that has a wider bottom than a top, to help create the vortex, and I am partial to pouring my latte art with a pitcher that has an obvious spout and handle.
The last consideration you need to know is desired milk temperature. You can get a thermometer for this part, but once your hand is calibrated to the right temperature for you, using your hand requires one less tool in the kitchen. Milk, to reach the desired flavor for a drink, needs to reach temperatures between 130-150 Fahrenheit (54-65 degrees Celsius). If you are serving a youngster or have a sensitive tongue consider your temperature to be around 120 Fahrenheit (48 Celsius). I find the sweet spot to be 140 Fahrenheit (60 Celsius), not too hot, not lukewarm, and creates delicious sweet tasting milk. Something to note is, milk will only rise in temperature in your pitcher. This can throw off hand calibration, you will want to still be able to touch the pitcher without feeling it burning you before you pour your drink.
Now, let’s learn how to create microfoam:
Fill your pitcher with your desired amount of milk for your coffee drink.
Purge your steam wand.
Have your pitcher slightly angled, and let the steam wand gently kiss the top of the milk.
Open your steam wand slowly and let a “hssss” sound happen.
Once you get your steam wand at full power, submerge the wand into your milk.
A note: Steaming milk will be a gentle sound when done correctly, any screeches or screams means your aeration is a little off. Rely on your senses to create the perfect coffee beverage
Play with the angle and depth of your pitcher until you create a steady vortex.
Once your vortex is rolling this is where you have control in the creation of microfoam, try to incorporate the bigger bubbles into your vortex.
Use the thermometer to find your desired temperature, and turn off the steam wand.
Tap and swirl your pitcher to push out any remaining air bubbles. Don’t be afraid to get a nice tap on the bottom of your pitcher. A second note: you want your milk to look like wet paint at the end of this process before you pour your drink. This means, it has a nice gloss that shines, and as you swirl your milk it gently slides down the walls of your pitchers.
Finally, pour your drink.
Like with anything related to coffee, steaming the perfect milk takes time and practice. You are going to want to play and have fun in this process. Since taste is a totally interpersonal journey, all that matters is you enjoying your at home coffee. Challenging yourself can be fun, and a great way to hone a hobby, but sometimes you have to leave the true coffee art to the seasoned professionals.