Coffee Machines - Making the Perfect Cappuccino at Home

The recipe for cappuccino is hotly contested by region and barista but a generally accepted method is equal amounts of espresso, steamed milk and textured milk with chocolate sprinkled on top. The recipe should be adjusted to taste and a good barista will keep this in mind when making cappuccino for others.

Texturing Milk

Using a milk thermometer will ensure that you don't overheat or boil the milk and ruin that perfect cappuccino experience. Milk should be heated to between 65 and 70 degrees and placing your hand under the base of the milk jug when frothing will allow you to learn to gauge the exact temperature required.

Fill the milk jug to about one third with milk and keep the nozzle of the steam arm close to the top (usually 1-2cm below the top of the milk) which will ensure you don't blow too many large bubbles into the milk. Hold the jug at an angle so that the milk begins to swirl and keep the nozzle of the steam arm at the required depth until the milk has stretched to about twice its original amount. When the milk has doubled in volume lower the nozzle of the steam arm to the bottom of the jug until required milk temperature is reached. The jug should then be tapped several times on a hard surface to remove any large bubbles in the milk and swirl the jug in a circular motion on the counter.

Steaming Milk

This is a similar process to texturing milk but the nozzle of the steam arm is only kept 1-2cm from the top of the milk for a short time and then placed at the bottom of the milk jug until the required temperature is reached.

Most busy cafes will not use separate milk jugs for steamed milk and foamed milk but will use a knife or spatula to hold back the foamed milk while pouring the steamed milk from the milk jug.

Now that the milk is ready you will need a hot cup for your espresso shot, add the steamed milk and then the foamed milk before topping with chocolate powder.

Ross Morris is Sales & Marketing Director of Coffee Machine Solutions in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

He lives and breathes coffee and coffee machines (and has been seen on occasions whispering sweet nothings to Rancilio Miss Silvia).

Coffee Machine Solutions Pty Ltd was established in mid 2009 and soon after bought Nouva Technical - a long established Brisbane company that specialised in the service of coffee machines. Shortly thereafter the company moved to new premises in Kelvin Grove and in early 2010 a showroom and sales department were created to satisfy the growing demand among Queensland customers for a one stop shop with sales and service under one roof. Our showroom is open to the public during business hours to allow customers the opportunity to test drive the display machines.