How to Steam Milk with Espresso Machine | Home Brewing Guide for Amateurs!

Black coffees are the doses of caffeine in the most brutal form and hardly have the taste for the front palate people. In that case, the very recipe for frothing the milk result in suppressing the bitterness of the coffee. Along with that, the creamy and smooth texture of the coffee with steamed milk drastically changes the hard black espresso into a soothing experience. So, if you are asking ‘How to steam milk with espresso machine?’ then you are about to read a minute worth tutorial for frothing the milk.

Milk Frothing Wand

Frothing wand is the steaming tool available in most of the espresso machines. It is a small tubular protruding pipe meant for supplying a steam jet necessary for frothing the milk. Moreover, the expert Baristas will differentiate steaming and frothing the milk have different importance which is completely true. However, we shall consider both the processes equivalent until mastering the art of making lattes and cappuccinos.

The frothing wand gets the steam from the boiler either from the steam espresso or the pump ones. As the matter of fact, the steaming wands have a grain-sized opening at the end from where the steam jet finds its way out into the milk pitcher.

Moreover, frothing the milk requires a lot of practice before you can consistently steam the milk using the frothing wand. Frothing the milk is an art of inducing air-bubbles into the cold milk and breaking the bubbles into incredibly small size. It will result in developing the thick creamy layer of the milk. In fact, the bubbles experience cohesion because of the temperature of steam causes uniform infusion of sugars.

Therefore, adding the steamed milk into the strong espresso shot results in the perfect coffee experience rather than sheer caffeine burst. In fact, you can make the lattes or cappuccinos by adding the different proportion of milk in the coffee.

Froth Milk Proficiently

All the coffee bars and restaurants use the steamed milk for making their coffee taste good. Moreover, the expertise of the Barista is the reason behind the coffee tasting so good. The simple answer to that perfect is – years of practice and improvisation. On the other hand, all of us will somehow know how to steam milk at home. But hardly do we succeed in steaming the milk perfectly, right?

Therefore, here are the methods to master your Barista skills in steaming the milk.

1. Fill the Pitcher with Cold Milk a Little More Than the Required to Put in the Coffee Cup. 

Milk will expand after you introduce the hot steam along with the rigorously expanding foam on the top. Because the froth of the milk can expand to the level where the milk appears to have expanded twice the volume of its cold form.

2. Prepare the Espresso Machine, Start Frothing After You Brew the Coffee. 

Make sure, your machine is ready with the hot steam when you press the frothing button. Because in case of an espresso machine with a single boiler, frothing proceeds a few seconds later after completion of brewing. However, espresso machines with double boilers will deliver the steam instantly or even simultaneously while brewing.

3. Dip the Frothing Wand in the Milk, Submerge the Steam Outlet Tip Close to the Surface. 

Generally, all the steam wands will have a tiny opening for the steam jet at its tip in the bottom. You have to submerge that tip closer to the surface and near the side wall. It will lead to a proper initiation of the frothing process.

4. Aim at Making Vortex 

Just after starting the steam jet, aim to make a vortex of the milk. It will uniformly steam the milk and in an optimum time. Keep changing the position of the pitcher in order the tip of the wand reaches every spot in the pitcher. Wait till the volume of the milk doubles in size, if you wonder how to make a cappuccino. Otherwise, expand the milk to its 1.5 times its volume to make a latte.

5. Pour It in the Coffee Cup

Now, the steamed milk is ready if you see the uniform smooth texture of the surface. Refrain from delaying in pouring the milk in the coffee as the froth will lose its fluff.

THE ENDNOTE

Now, you know the difference between frothing for latte and cappuccino along with making both on your own. Don’t forget to comment your feedback or queries in the comment section.