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How to texture milk.
If making espresso is an art form this is like learning a craft,
but once mastered it’s easy enough.
The heat and texture of the milk you add to your espresso base
will determine the quality and the temperature of your finished
coffee.
The milk texture that you are aiming for is best described as
velvet. That means it’s about 70°C with a nice fine bead of
bubbles.
Follow the 4 steps and you’ll be producing great milk every
time.
THE MILK.
We’ll assume you can make an excellent espresso (the base
for latte’s and flat whites), so now let’s talk milk. Using a
stainless steel jug, fill the milk to around half way, refrigerated
or room temperature milk is fine.
Place the steam wand of your espresso machine under the
surface of the milk and turn the steam tap fully on.
Now gently lower the milk jug so the
tip of the steam wand is just under
the milk’s surface. Keeping the jug as
steady as possible allow the steam
wand to gently gasp the air right on the
surface of the milk.
Slowly change the angle between
the surface of the milk and the steam
wand until you create a whirlpool
effect. Listen for the gentle sound of
the air being drawn into the milk.
If the noise is too loud then the milk
surface is too far away from the tip of
the steam wand and rather than a fine
bead of bubbles you will see a very
frothy texture being created.
Try for an effect similar to that of
beating cream, gently folding air
through the milk. At all times keep a
steady hand, do not jiggle the jug up
and down. Once textured, the volume
of milk should have almost doubled.
STRETCHING AND TEXTURISING.
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