Foaming, Frothing, Steaming milk for coffee…It’s all the same thing…sort of. In a radical departure this article will not attempt to highlight the steamed portion (heated not foamed) as being a separate entity from the foamed or frothed portion (milk with air bubbles incorporated) of the milk.
Why? It’s simple:
The proper way to prepare milk for coffee is always foamed. This is also necessary when you want coffee with you don’t like any foam in your drink you want to foam the milk slightly. Incorporating air into the milk improves and sweetens the taste of your drink. If you compare milk to foamed milk you will find that milk that hasn’t been foamed will tend to taste flat and dull.
Making foam for Latte’s and Cappuccino
Always keep in mind that great milk that is properly prepared for any form of coffee, whether it’s for a latte or cappuccino can make the biggest difference in the world. When making a latte less foam is required, so the volume of milk will have to expanded by approximately one-third and when you are making a cappuccino it will have approximately doubled.
You will have incorporated foam into the milk but it will not be on the top with the steamed milk underneath. It will be intertwined and mingled all through the entire pitcher of milk. Ideally, when you pour the milk into the cup, that is where and when you will see a settling out of the foam on top. The quantity of foam you have incorporated into the milk will be dependent on how much is required for the drink and how aggressively you worked to incorporate air into the milk.
Always remember, when you steam, you want to foam properly textured; that is what makes ordinary milk extraordinary.