Foaming up milk: No problem with these tips

There's nothing like creamed milk to sit on top of your espresso and combine with it to make a delicious cappuccino or latte macchiato. Here's how to froth milk and perfect your coffee.

Very popular with coffee fans: fluffy milk foam! Professionals get with it beautiful decorations.

The secret of the perfect milk foam is not exclusively in a special device for preparation, but in the choice of milk and the right temperature. eKitchen shows you what you should bear in mind when foaming milk so that the fluffy, creamy custard gives your specialty coffee that certain something.

Foaming milk: It's the milk that does it

Some baristas swear by long-life milk, while other coffee experts recommend "longer-life" fresh milk. They get good foam with both, but: ultra-high temperature and homogenized UHT milk tastes slightly boiled off - not everyone likes that. Classically pasteurized milk labeled "traditionally produced," on the other hand, is less suitable for fluffy milk foam. This is due to the protein content: the more of it the milk contains, the easier it is to whip. The ideal value is 3.4 grams per 100 ml. The fat content also plays a role. Since fat is an important flavor carrier, the proportion should be between 3.5 and 3.8 percent. The respective nutritional information can be found on the packaging. For more tips and how to get milk foam without milk, see the article "Which milk is suitable for good milk foam?"

It's not just the bean that matters when enjoying coffee. The milk foam must also be right.

Foaming up milk: the right temperature

The temperature when foaming up also plays a role. For devices that heat the milk, you should make sure that it does not get too hot. Otherwise, the proteins contained in the milk will lose their elasticity. From 65 to 70 degrees Celsius, the protein begins to coagulate and foam forms. Contrary to the widespread opinion that milk foam must be stiff, professionals prefer a creamy consistency. This combines well with the coffee and conveys the flavor better. Tip: Store the milk as cold as possible and use it directly from the refrigerator. The ideal temperature is 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. So it takes longer for the milk to reach the critical temperature.

The right milk frother

Basically, three types of devices can be distinguished. Handy, battery-powered wand milk frothers you hold directly into the latte macchiato glass: this is fast, but the milk is not heated in the process. Classic pot milk frothers have a heater in the bottom, similar to a kettle. A small whisk swirls air into the liquid and makes it foam. Disadvantage: Milk residue often sticks to the bottom. This is less often the case with induction milk frothers. They heat the milk in a separate pot that is heated by electromagnetic waves - just like on a modern induction cooktop. Advantage: The milk jug is removable and easy to clean under running water. When choosing the right milk frother, of course, the price also plays a major role: some rod frothers are already available for under 10 euros, for fully automatic devices you have to expect up to 150 euros.

Milk frother

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