How to Perfectly Prepare Latte Art Foam: A Comprehensive Guide to Espresso Latte Foam Techniques

The daily journey of beginners learning to froth milk is filled with thoughts like: "Should I just give up! No, I must persist... Oh, it's too thick again, I give up! I'm not giving up, let me try again!" I know what you'll say: "Please take away the surveillance camera!" As an essential part of making latte coffee, the degree and quality of milk frothing directly affect the visual and tactile experience of a latte.

Why can milk form stable foam?

What is the principle of milk frothing?

What affects the stability of milk foam are the casein micelles and whey proteins in milk protein. The existence of casein micelles creates tension on the milk surface. When steam impacts the milk surface, it forms numerous bubbles of different sizes. Then, adjusting the position of the steam wand creates a vortex in the milk that "chops up" larger bubbles, thereby obtaining fine milk foam with a smooth surface texture.

Under normal circumstances, whey protein has a hydrophilic exterior. Through stirring or heating, it gradually "unfolds," exposing its hydrophobic parts. These parts adhere to the generated bubbles, reducing surface tension and slowing down the bursting speed, making the milk foam more stable.

Common problems for beginners in milk frothing,

Try these small tips!

Problem 1: Milk splashes during frothing

This is a very dangerous situation. Beginners learning milk frothing lack stable control and grasp of the steam wand angle and the depth of the steam wand tip (hereafter referred to as the steam tip) in the milk. This can happen when steam is first turned on or when hands become unsteady during heating, causing excessive movement of the milk pitcher, making the air vent contact the milk surface, and the impact of steam causes milk to splash out.

Tip 1: Always keep the milk pitcher in contact with the steam wand

When beginners cannot stably control the movement range of the milk pitcher, FrontStreet Coffee suggests using the pitcher's spout as a pivot point, keeping the edge of the pitcher in contact with the steam wand. Later, whether changing the angle of the pitcher or moving it up and down, maintain contact between the two to avoid suddenly becoming "suspended" and having steam escape from the milk.

Problem 2: Milk foam is not fine enough

What makes beginners break down is not failed latte art, but rather that the milk foam never becomes fine, with many large bubbles. When mixed with coffee and consumed, the texture in your mouth sends you this signal: Do you think I'm happy?

Tip 1: Turn on the steam briefly before frothing milk

When steam in the steam wand of semi-automatic coffee machines cools down, it becomes water and remains in the tube. Therefore, before each milk frothing session, please release some steam first until no water sprays from the tube. Steam containing water will produce large bubbles when frothing milk.

Tip 2: Place the steam wand in the milk pitcher at a 45-degree angle

The 45-degree angle means positioning toward the 2-3 o'clock or 9-10 o'clock direction of the pitcher. Using this angle to froth milk helps it quickly form a small vortex. The appearance of this vortex can "roll" coarser milk foam into the liquid surface.

Tip 3: Insert the steam tip 0.8-1cm deep into the milk surface

The steam tip shouldn't be inserted too deeply, after all, milk frothing is mainly about incorporating air into the milk. If it's too deep, the steam holes cannot contact air to create a vortex. If it's too shallow, steam impacts the surface, creating rough bubbles and causing milk to splash.

Problem 3: Milk foam becomes too thick

The thickness of milk foam depends on the foam produced when steam properly contacts the surface, which we call the aeration process. The longer the aeration time, the more foam produced, and the thicker the milk foam becomes.

Tip 1: Only need to "hiss" 4-5 times during aeration

Adjust the steam tip insertion depth to 0.3cm and turn on the steam switch. You'll hear a "hiss—hiss" sound. This is the aeration stage. For latte art, the ideal milk foam thickness is 1cm, so we don't need excessive aeration. After hearing the hissing sound 4-5 times, adjust the steam tip depth back to 0.8-1cm, maintain the 45-degree angle to create a vortex that eliminates large bubbles and heats to the appropriate temperature.

Problem 4: How to determine the temperature for milk frothing?

Is milk temperature really that important? Yes! The ideal temperature for milk frothing is between 55-65°C, never exceeding 70°C. Within these temperature ranges, lactose and other sugars are most "active." When milk is frothed to this temperature range and then combined with coffee, you'll find that this milk coffee tastes sweet both in aroma and taste, even without adding sugar.

Tip 1: Use a thermometer, don't practice "iron palm technique" from the start

Insert a digital thermometer into the milk pitcher before starting to froth, and gradually feel the temperature change of the pitcher with your palm during the process. One important note! For example, if you need to froth milk to 55°C, you can stop heating when the thermometer shows 53°C, as the milk will continue to rise by 1-2°C after stopping.

Important Notice :

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Tel:020 38364473