Espresso — The Essence of Coffee

In this series:

Espresso—The Essence of Coffee
Instructions for Foaming Milk

Instructions for Foaming Milk

To foam and/or steam milk for cappuccinos and lattes, you will need a steel pitcher, cold milk, and a milk steamer. If your espresso maker does not include a wand for milk steaming, you can purchase a stand-alone device for this purpose.

Fill a steel pitcher no more than halfway with cold milk.

Place the steam wand just under the surface of the milk, and open the steam valve.

Keep the tip of the wand barely under the surface, lowering the pitcher and incorporating more air as you foam.

The ideal temperature is usually reached when the pitcher becomes too hot to touch.

Close the steam valve, and remove the pitcher from under it. Then open the steam valve to clear any remaining milk, and wipe it with a damp cloth.

Return to: Espresso—The Essence of Coffee

Appeared in Awake! November 8, 1997