Café con Leche

How to get the perfect coffee with a milk frother

Getting a frothy coffee doesn't have to be exclusive to coffee shops and master baristas. You don't even need a coffee machine with the latest technologies for it. You can easily achieve it at home with a French press coffee maker, a milk frother or in the microwave. The second method (with a frother) is the simplest and will give you the best results, but we will tell you how to achieve it.

Choose the most suitable milk.

Do you want to get a frothy coffee that can hold the weight of a cookie? It's possible! But first, you need to understand all the factors that influence the creation of foam in milk.

The main components of milk are the ones that have exactly the chemical composition to prepare foam in coffee. The proportion of milk nutrients is (may vary depending on the manufacturer):

87% water

3% proteins

3% fat

5% lactose

This proportion is ideal, so we recommend using whole milk, not skimmed or semi-skimmed. Not even lactose-free.

And, from whole cow's milk, the best is fresh milk with high-fat content. Also, raw milk with 5% fat is good.

If you use plant-based milk, the lack of lactose may make the result not as perfect, so make sure it does meet the proportion in the other components. The almond milk seems to best meet this requirement, although there are special plant-based milks for coffee that also fulfill it.

This is due to a physicochemical effect called emulsification: To make the foam last longer, certain proteins and fat molecules act as emulsifiers. Emulsifiers make immiscible substances like fat and water naturally combine. This is what prevents the bubbles you generate from disintegrating. If there is little fat, the foam will not have support to act against gravity.

Coffee with Milk

5 methods to make coffee with foam in your kitchen.

The most effective method is to use a milk frother. But you can try the following:

  • Make a coffee with foam using a French press coffee maker: put hot milk in the coffee maker and vigorously move the plunger up and down until you get milk foam. You will see that it is very creamy.
  • Make the foam with an electric or hand blender: once you have the hot milk, pour it into the blender jar and blend it. Start first with a slow speed, as milk is very liquid, it can easily splash. You can do it by covering the container with film paper, leaving only one hole open for the blender arm.
  • Use a manual blender : for this, heat the milk in a large container, without reaching 70 °C. Beat it manually with energy until you ensure there is enough foam.
  • Making foam in a microwave: put the milk in a jar with a lid. Cover it and shake vigorously until you see foam forming. Place the jar without the lid in the microwave and heat it.

The best technique: using an automatic frother

The previous techniques may not be as good. Perhaps, at first, the foam may seem perfect, but it doesn't last. This is due to one of the factors we explained earlier; the air. You need the mechanical conditions and the necessary speed to achieve small and durable bubbles.

Getting an electric milk frother is the best way without having to spend a lot of money. And it can help you create foam in other drinks, like shakes or cocoa.

    Coffee with Milk

    Types of coffee with foam:

    • Cappuccino: prepare 30 ml of coffee. Add the foam of 120 ml of milk and decorate with natural unsweetened cocoa.
    • Café macchiato: prepare 25-50 ml of espresso (depending if you want it regular or double) and add the foam of 15 ml of milk.
    • Café latte macchiato: prepare 25 ml of espresso and add foam of 100 ml of milk.
    • Café latte: prepare 30 ml of espresso and add the foam of 210 ml of milk.
    • Café mocha: prepare an espresso or black coffee as you prefer. Mix it with two teaspoons of cocoa. Add foam of the amount you desire of milk. You can decorate with chocolate syrup, being careful not to sink the foam.

    Mellerware frothers.

    If you want an easy, durable, and also economical frother, try the innovative frothers from Mellerware. They can be used with both hot and cold milk, and with the type of milk you prefer, even skimmed or plant-based. And you will always get perfect and durable foam. Furthermore, like other Mellerware products, the frother is made with the best quality materials, such as stainless steel.

    So, if you love coffee, shakes, or cocoa with foam and don't want to give up the type of milk you like the most, don't hesitate. The Mellerware milk frother is made for you!

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