Do you enjoy a latte with a tempting luscious velvet coating of milk? Does your taste run towards a cappuccino topped with stiff, glossy, frothy foam? Either way, there is nothing like a beautifully finished coffee drink! The process of frothing your milk allows the formation of microbubbles, which alter the surface of the milk itself. This structural change allows for more complete engagement of the taste buds, leading to a greater sensory experience when enjoying your beverage.
It is easy to create delicious barista-quality drinks right from the comfort of your own kitchen. What follows is a breakdown of the most popular ways to froth your milk at home. I have included comparisons based on the type of milk and method used to help you with your next frothing adventure. Enjoy!
Methods using common household items
Keep in mind: You never want to burn your milk, which will occur at around 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Different types of milk burn at different temperatures, so watch closely and some experimentation may be needed. Typically, coffee drinks are served between 155-165 degrees Fahrenheit. One sign of overheated milk is a matte-like film covering its surface. One tip, valid for all the below methods, is to never fill your vessel more than halfway before frothing. The creation of foam and froth will nearly double your starting volume and no one wants to clean that mess up should the container overflow!
Hand whisk: Pour your heated milk in a deep bowl and whisk briskly. The faster you whisk, the faster your foam will emerge. This tried and true method actually creates beautiful thick airy foam.
Immersion blender: I like this method because of its quickness and efficiency, but do it in a deep bowl. Most hand immersion blenders are powerful and you don’t want a mess! Warm your milk and then, making sure that the immersion blender is completely submerged, blend at low speed until your desired frothiness is achieved. The resulting froth is thick and foamy with large bubbles at the surface, not the microfoam you may be used to.
Pouring from jar to jar: This works just as it sounds. Using 2 jugs of equal size, briskly pour the heated milk from one container to the other (Some recommend pouring through a filter to increase aeration.). This method is most likely to be messy and take longer; it is the incoming air from each pass that causes the bubbles to form. When done, the foam is thin with many microbubbles.
Pump frother (you can use your French press): Fill the frother with warmed milk until it is approximately 1/3 of the way full. Many frothers have ‘fill lines’ to help you with this measurement. Put the cover on and manually plunge the handle for about 30 seconds. Check the consistency of your foam and repeat if needed. The pump method develops lovely microfoam and a velvety texture.
Shake it in a sealed jar – Fill your jar no more than halfway with warmed milk and seal it tightly. Shake the jar vigorously for about 30 – 60 seconds. When the frothing is complete, the volume inside the jar will be nearly doubled! This froth is not as stable as that of the other methods. You should spoon it onto your coffee right after frothing as it will deflate quickly.
I tested the above method using 2 – 4 ounces of milk, heated on the stovetop. Of all the methods applied above the thickest, airiest froth with the smallest microbubbles was achieved using a hand whisk. The easiest method by far was the immersion blender in both speed and physical requirements; the result is very velvety, but the bubbles are larger than that of the hand whisk. I found the least successful method to be jar to jar; while lots of bubbles are created, the finished product is not as velvety or as thick as the other methods. The pump frother creates a decent froth and results in the most velvety milk consistency; it may be the easiest most successful choice for creating lattes.
Results by type of milk*
Cow milk
Nonfat milk and reduced-fat milk: Nonfat milk easily creates lots of microbubbles and thick foam, but it is not as rich-tasting and lacks the body of fattier milk. Reduced-fat milk results in a similar froth as that of non-fat.
Whole milk: Not as easy to create an airy foamy froth, as the fat in the milk will weigh the milk down. However, the richness of whole milk adds a silky, velvety finish to your latte or cappuccino. You may have to adjust the time and method to achieve the same level of microbubbles as non-fat milk. Bonus tip: Using a smaller amount of milk with a hand whisk allows me to get the same froth as I do with low or nonfat milk.
Plant-based milk**
Almond: Be careful not to overheat almond milk as it will make it difficult to obtain a nice number of bubbles. Using brisk whisking I obtained a microfoam similar to whole milk, but the bubbles were a bit larger and deflated quickly.
Coconut: Be very careful heating this milk as it seems to break down if taken to a high temperature. I have attempted hand whisking and pumping warmed coconut milk many times and have had varying results. This time I was unable to achieve frothiness either from whisking or hand pumping. In the past, I have achieved thick froth, filled with microbubbles, but never as creamy as cow milk. When purchasing your coconut milk look for one with similar fat and protein content to that of cow milk for best results.
Soy: Having approximately the same protein and fat content of milk, soy milk froths easily and has lovely buoyant microbubbles. Soy milk compares most favorably to cow milk. It does seem to heats faster, so be careful not to burn it.
* These results represent my personal experience, using the hand whisk method.
** The degree of frothiness will vary by the fat and protein content of each substitute. Different brands have different nutritional information, so be aware when you purchase your product.
Other methods
Automatic frother: The easiest solution, as all the work is done for you. Many of these frothers have automatic shutoffs and can work on pre-warmed or chilled milk. A low-end model can be purchased for as little as $30.00.
Espresso maker steam wand: The true barista method varies by espresso maker and requires a little finesse. Generally, the procedure involves filling your basin halfway with cold milk and inserting the steam wand just below the surface level. You can create a thick froth by keeping the wand close to the side of your vessel and moving it higher, lower, and back and forth. The increased air generated from this motion adds to the bubbles in your froth. Once mastered you are left with a velvety foam perfect for any cappuccino or latte! Mastery may take a little while, but it is worth it. Be sure you follow the directions that came with your espresso maker and clean your wand thoroughly between uses.
Handheld milk frother: Inexpensive and easy to use, the instructions follow those of the immersion blender.
With thanks to:
https://www.livekindly.co/plant-milk-coffee-creamer/
https://www.ohhowcivilized.com/how-to-froth-milk-in-a-french-press/
https://www.capresso.com/media/wysiwyg/How_to_Achieve_the_Perfect_Frothed_Milk_1.pdf
Coffee with the Queen 