How to Froth Milk for Latte Art? What Details to Pay Attention to When Frothing Milk? Latte Coffee Foam Tutorial

FrontStreet Coffee previously shared a tutorial on frothing milk, but some friends still have questions! As the saying goes, details determine success. In this barista training guide, FrontStreet Coffee will highlight the key details to pay attention to during the milk frothing process!

Detail 1: Chilled Milk

FrontStreet Coffee uses pasteurized fresh milk that requires refrigeration. If you're using room-temperature milk, please chill it in the refrigerator before frothing. At lower temperatures, it takes more time to heat the milk to 60°C, which means more operating time to help you create high-quality milk foam.

Detail 2: Drain Water from Steam Wand Before Frothing

The drier the steam, the less water content it contains, resulting in denser milk foam with less water content. Therefore, the drier the steam, the better. When the steam wand hasn't been used for a while, steam condensation in the steam tip cools into water. If not drained beforehand, this water will be sprayed directly into the milk, affecting milk concentration and frothing difficulty. Therefore, before frothing, engage the steam button to drain the water first, which will greatly help the frothing process.

Detail 3: Angle Between Steam Wand and Liquid Surface

Previously, FrontStreet Coffee emphasized that frothing with the steam wand positioned at the 3 or 9 o'clock direction of the liquid surface is easier, but overlooked the angle between the steam wand and liquid surface. The steam wand can be adjusted back and forth to change the angle. If the steam wand is too perpendicular to the liquid surface, most steam will spray downward, making it difficult to create a milk vortex, resulting in just heating. If the angle is too large, most steam will spray parallel to the surface, creating excessive vortex and turbulence that becomes difficult to control or causes milk overflow. FrontStreet Coffee suggests adjusting the frothing angle between 30°-45° based on the actual situation.

Detail 4: Frothing Temperature

How hot should you froth the milk? Generally, milk should be frothed to 50-60°C. If the temperature is too high, proteins will decompose, and the bubbles supported by proteins will become unstable and burst. As for mastering temperature control, you can start with a thermometer for assistance while touching the milk pitcher with your hand to feel the temperature. Over time, you'll develop muscle memory.

Detail 5: Pitcher Tapping

If you've carefully observed baristas frothing milk, you'll notice they tap the bottom of the milk pitcher against the countertop after frothing. This is called "pitcher tapping." The purpose is to break down large, unstable bubbles, making the surface smooth and fine. However, tapping also accelerates the breakdown of fine milk foam, so continuous tapping is not recommended. Typically, 2-3 taps are performed after frothing is complete.

Detail 6: Pitcher Pouring

If you accidentally froth the milk too thick, reducing its fluidity, don't worry—it can still be remedied. When milk foam becomes too thick, large amounts of foam float on the surface. We can solve this through pitcher pouring (pitcher pouring promotes the fusion of milk and foam), provided your foam is still in a smooth, fine state. Prepare an additional empty milk pitcher and pour all the foam and milk into it, then pour it back. Perform swirling motions and pitcher tapping to eliminate large foam bubbles, then pour a small amount of milk and foam into the empty pitcher. Because foam is lighter and floats on the surface, the first pour will contain large amounts of foam, leaving behind milk foam with better fluidity. Like pitcher tapping, pitcher pouring should not be repeated multiple times.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473