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In order to make the perfect cappuccino or café latte it’s important to know how to ‘stretch’ milk with your coffee machine. Whilst it will take a bit of practice at first, we’ve put together this guide to assist you so you’ll be creating all sorts of impressive coffees for you and your friends in no time!

THE RIGHT TOOLS

Before you begin, you’ll need to make sure you have the right tools.

1. A stainless steel jug for the amount of coffees you are making. 600ml = 1-2 coffees, 1L = 3-4 coffees.

2. Fresh COLD milk. Avoid no-fat milks as these do not foam as well, and can make things a lot harder when you’re first starting out.

3. A clean steam arm! This is most important! Purge the steam arm of your machine of any built up condensation by opening the valve for about 3 seconds.

4. Optional - Thermometer. Whilst a milk thermometer is not necessary (and we recommend that you don’t make a habit of using them) some people find they can be helpful at first.

METHOD

1. Start by filling your jug with cold milk to about half way / or to the bottom of the spout.

2. Position the steam arm on a slight angle.

3. Have the nozzle sit just under the milk surface, roughly about 2mm off centre. Be sure to keep the jug flat and not on an angle.

4. Turn on the steam fully. Don’t turn the knob all the way, as this won’t increase the pressure, and can make it difficult to turn off quickly. This increases your chances of over-heating the milk. Depending on your machine, you would normally turn it about 180°

5. Notice that the milk is moving like a whirlpool, in a circular motion. If you hear a screaming or howling noise, the nozzle is too far into the milk. You need to aim for a quiet “ssst ssst” noise (this is created by the steam coming into contact with the surface).

6. Now that the milk is rising, slowly move the jug down so that the nozzle is maintained at a consistent depth.

7. You need to time when to turn the steam off. This is a skill you will obtain with practice. You don’t want to overheat the milk as this will make it go flat. The best guide is, when the jug becomes too hot to keep your hand on, it is close to the ideal temperature. You should be able to hold your hand on the side for 2-3 seconds before having to take it off from the heat. If you cannot touch the jug it is too hot. If however, you can pick the jug up by the side and not the handle, it is not hot enough.

8. Before pouring your milk, always ‘polish’ it by first swirling the jug in a circular motion. If you find there are too many large bubbles, scoop these out with a spoon first.

In the end you should aim to stretch the milk so that the foam looks similar to whipped egg whites. The milk should be thick and creamy and NOT frothy or bubbly. Don’t despair if you don’t get it right the first time around – nobody does! Keep practicing and you’ll be enjoying velvety thick lattes in no time!

My name’s Alex and I’m a professional in the hospitality industry. Thanks for stopping by and reading my guide. For more information please see our other coffee guides, and drop by our eBay store at http://stores.ebay.com.au/Big-Shot-Coffee and check out what quality coffee machines and coffee should look like.

Alex