How to Make Cappuccino Foam

Pour brewed espresso into your cappuccino cup. Although specifics will depend on the type of cappuccino and the person making it, cappuccinos are roughly one quarter espresso and three quarters steamed milk.^[2] Pour your desired amount of brewed espresso into a large cappuccino cup before you steam the milk. That way, you'll have everything ready so you can pour out the steamed milk while it's still piping hot.

Fill a steam pitcher with cold milk. Steam pitchers are specifically designed to heat liquid through steaming. Most traditional cappuccinos are served as 6 ounce portions, although many North American outlets prefer a 12-ounce version. Use 3/4 cup to 1 1/2 cups of milk, depending on your preference.

• Non-fat milk is best if you're looking to get the most foam.^[3] However, non-fat milk will lack the creamy taste of its fatty alternative. It's up to you whether you favor foam or flavor.
• Alternatives to steaming with a steam pitcher include using a metal pitcher with a steam wand, using a frother or shaking up the milk in a jar. An authentic cappuccino will rely on steaming, however.

Steam the milk until it's hot. Steaming milk gives cappuccinos their heat and bubbly quality. You should aim to keep your steamed milk between 140 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit. For the sake of drinkability, it's important not to steam milk past 170 degrees. Depending on the steamer and the amount and temperature of the milk you're steaming, steaming can take between 10-40 seconds in most cases.^[4] It's a really good idea to have a thermometer at hand to put in the milk. That way you can make sure it's the exact temperature you want without having to resort to guesswork.

• If you don't have a thermometer, you can gauge the temperature increase by putting your hand up against the outside of the pitcher. Wait until the pitcher starts to get warm to the touch. When the outside of the pitcher gets uncomfortably hot, it should be an indicator that the milk has steamed long enough.^[5]

Use your steamed milk quickly.^[6] The longer steamed milk is left out, the less palatable it will be in a cappuccino. Milk is very sensitive to heat, and should only be steamed right before it's injected into the cappuccino mug. If you're making a larger batch of cappuccinos at once, hold off from steaming a large quantity of milk at once. Milk that is heated and reheated gets stale and loses its potential for foam.

Pour the hot milk into the cappuccino cup.^[7] A cappuccino should be served in a coffee cup, and you'll ultimately need to combine the milk with the espresso. The trick here is to pour the milk in slowly. Any quick movements will risk compromising the foam. Level out your pitcher slowly as you pour.

• One way to save the most foam for your top is to take a spoon and use it to trap in the foam at the top of the pitcher. When the pitcher is almost empty, you can pour out the foam.
• Even out the foam with a spoon if it's poured out unevenly.

Tell the difference between a good and bad foam.^[8] Getting a perfect foam ultimately depends on your skill. With that in mind, it may take a few times before you get the kind of foam you want. However, you'll need to be able to distinguish a failure from a success to do so. A proper cappuccino foam should be even and soft. A bad foam will look very foamy and might risk frothing off the sides.

• There are two main reasons that could be the cause of a less-than-desired foam result. First, the steamed milk needs to be poured at the right depth. Secondly, the heat may of the steamed milk may have been too high to properly settle into soft bubbles.
• Don't be discouraged if you get a bad foam the first time you try it. Perfect coffee beverages require a lot more skill that people give it credit for. Each time you try, you'll get a bit closer to figuring out the subtle movements involved in it.