Making a delicious frothy cappuccino doesn't require expensive equipment, no matter what the barista tells you. In fact, all you need to make the perfect milk foam is a wire whisk or a simple glass jar. Get started with the first step below to find out how, and you'll be able to drink expensive-looking cappuccinos every day!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Using a Wire Whisk
Step 1. Pour the milk into a cup or saucepan
Pour as much milk as needed into a microwave-safe cup or metal pan, depending on whether you intend to heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove. You will need about half a cup of milk for each cappuccino.
Step 2. Heat the milk
- If you are using a microwave, place the cup of milk in the microwave and heat it on high for about 30 seconds or until steam appears from the milk.
- If you are using a stove, place the pot on the stove that is already on and set to medium heat. Heat until steam appears from the milk.
Step 3. Use a wire whisk to make foam
Once the milk has heated up, dip the wire whisk into the milk and twist the handle of the whisk using your palms to create a foam. Keep turning the whisk until you get as much foam as you want.
Part 2 of 3: Using Jars
Step 1. Pour the milk into a glass jar with a tight lid
Pour half a cup of milk into a glass jar. Milk should be no more than half the jar, as you will need to leave enough room for the foam to rise.
Step 2. Shake the jar for 30 seconds
Close the jar tightly and shake the jar vigorously until the milk is foamy and almost double the original amount. This step will take about 30 seconds.
Step 3. Open the lid of the jar and heat the milk in the microwave
Open the lid of the jar and place it in the microwave. Heat on high for about 30 seconds, or until steam starts to appear from the milk. The foam will start to stabilize in the microwave and rise to the top of the milk.
Part 3 of 3: Making the Perfect Cappuccino
Step 1. Use cold fresh milk
The fresher and colder the milk used, the better. You will produce a smoother foam and the cappuccino will taste better.
Step 2. Use milk with a higher fat content
Whole or half-and-half milk tends to foam better than milk with a lower fat content, such as 2% or skim milk. Whole milk also tends to produce foam that is sweeter in taste than low-fat milk. However, the type of milk you use is your choice, and you can still get good results with even low-fat milk.
Step 3. Make good quality strong coffee
Of course the quality of your cappuccino depends not only on the foam, but also on how good your coffee is. Use good quality strong coffee and make sure the coffee is nice and hot. We recommend that you prepare the coffee before preparing the milk.
Step 4. Tap the bottom of the cup, pot, or jar to remove any large bubbles
Once the foam has heated up, briefly rotate the cup, pot, or jar and tap lightly on the kitchen counter. This movement will pop large bubbles and compact the foam.
Step 5. Use a spoon to hold the foam
When pouring milk into coffee, you should use a spoon to hold the foam up to 2/3 cup. Then use a spoon to add foam on top of the milk coffee.
Step 6. Finish with cocoa powder
To make the perfect cappuccino, sprinkle a little cocoa powder or even grated chocolate over the milk foam. The heat of the cappuccino will make the chocolate slightly melt. Enjoy!
Tips
- Microwave cooking times vary. The important thing is to get to the point just before the milk boils, when steam starts to appear from the milk, but no bubbles have yet formed.
- Any kind of fresh milk – skimmed, whole, even half-and-half – doesn't matter, it's just that the quality and thickness of the foam will be different. Whole milk produces more foam and is smoother, whereas skim milk tends to produce a thicker or stiffer foam.
- You can use a saucepan to heat the milk. Pay attention to the hot spots described above, then pour the milk into the cup. (You can also foam directly in the pan, but less foam is likely to be produced.)
- For the best foam, make sure you use fresh milk, a cup that is not too large (ideally just a little larger than the diameter of a wire whisk), and rotate it very quickly.
