Latte Art Tutorial: Illustrated Guide to Milk Frothing Techniques for Latte Coffee Making

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When many beginners first start making latte coffee, they often begin to doubt their abilities during the milk frothing step - either the foam is too thick or too coarse. Many friends have also asked FrontStreet Coffee if they offer latte art classes, wanting to enroll in a course to learn. FrontStreet Coffee doesn't currently have coffee classes, but we share various aspects of coffee knowledge daily on our public account to satisfy everyone's curiosity. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will explain how to achieve smooth and fine milk foam.

What is the principle behind frothing milk?

The basic principle of milk frothing is using steam to aerate milk, introducing air into the liquid milk and utilizing the surface tension of milk proteins to form fine foam. This causes the liquid milk to expand in volume, becoming foamed milk.

Why does frothed milk become sweeter?

During the milk frothing process, as the milk temperature increases, lactose breaks down into more sugar molecules and integrates with the milk. When frothing, milk fat makes the foam formed by milk proteins more stable, and these bubbles seal in the milk's aromatic compounds and sweet substances. When we drink this foam, the fine bubbles burst in our mouths, making us perceive the milk as exceptionally sweet and fragrant. This is also why FrontStreet Coffee's latte tastes sweet even without added sugar.

What kind of milk is suitable for frothing?

Not all milk types are suitable as a base for frothing. FrontStreet Coffee recommends using pasteurized milk that requires refrigeration, as pasteurization better preserves the nutrients, lactose, and milk proteins in the milk. Many shelf-stable milks commonly seen in supermarkets undergo high-temperature sterilization, which causes premature breakdown of milk proteins and lactose, and disperses aromatic compounds. Additionally, shelf-stable milk has some milk fat removed to extend its shelf life. When milk fat and milk proteins are insufficient, the frothed foam naturally becomes unstable, and when lactose has already broken down, reheating it to room temperature for a second time won't restore the sweet flavor.

How to create smooth and fine milk foam?

Now that you understand the important factors in milk frothing, FrontStreet Coffee will explain how to create foam suitable for latte art. We should focus on two main points: the angle between the steam wand and milk pitcher, and the temperature for frothing the milk.

Angle: Generally, the steam wand should be positioned using the pitcher spout as a 12 o'clock reference point, with the steam wand angled toward the 2-3 o'clock or 9-10 o'clock position relative to the pitcher. This positioning allows the milk to rotate quickly during frothing, forming a small vortex that draws coarser foam bubbles into the milk, resulting in a smooth consistency after frothing.

Temperature: The ideal temperature for milk frothing is between 55-65°C. Below this temperature, the milk's sweetness isn't fully activated. Above this temperature, too many proteins will denature. Overheating will alter the milk's taste, producing sulfur-like flavors, causing foaming failure, and leading to separation of milk proteins from water, creating milk curds that affect texture and nutritional value.

Milk Frothing Steps

First, you'll need a steam wand - most semi-automatic espresso machines come equipped with one. Second, you'll need a container for the milk, such as a milk pitcher or latte art pitcher (using professional equipment will make the process more efficient). Before frothing, turn on the steam wand briefly to release condensed water steam (then turn it off). Position the steam wand at a 45-degree angle, using the pitcher spout to stabilize its position. For this example, with a counter-clockwise vortex, position the steam wand to the right of the liquid center's cross point, with the steam tip partially submerged.

Open the steam switch, and you'll hear a "shhh-shhh" sound - this is the frothing stage. The frothing time varies depending on the desired foam thickness (longer frothing time results in thicker foam).

Typically, frothing milk from 5/6 full to about 6/7 full (for latte foam thickness) takes about 3 seconds. The milk should rotate uniformly in a vortex. At this point, you need to fully submerge the steam holes to heat only, without additional frothing. Don't bury the steam tip at the very bottom - keeping it in the foam layer helps refine the texture (breaking down coarse bubbles into fine ones). When should you stop? This depends on your milk temperature, generally controlled between 55-65°C. Higher temperatures cause protein denaturation (generally, protein denaturation in food occurs at around 60°C).

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Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473