Properties of Milk
The aim of modern coffee making is to produce silky, smooth-textured milk. The aim is to balance the flavours in the milk and the coffee.
The reason that milk can be stretched to produce thick foam is due to its protein content, not the fat. The best milk for texturing has a high protein level and dairies are now producing milk specifically for espresso coffee making, e.g. Pura 'Café milk'. The producers use the first part of the milk that is drawn off when milking the cows, which is high in protein, to blend these special milks. Spring and early summer milk is always the best.
Some customers may order skim milk, soy milk, or other varieties, so it is important to practise with each milk type in order to make good froth. It is essential that only fresh, cold milk is used for making white coffee. Milk that has already been steamed will produce watery and poor tasting coffee and will not texture well.
Important points about milk temperature:
The reason that milk can be stretched to produce thick foam is due to its protein content, not the fat. The best milk for texturing has a high protein level and dairies are now producing milk specifically for espresso coffee making, e.g. Pura 'Café milk'. The producers use the first part of the milk that is drawn off when milking the cows, which is high in protein, to blend these special milks. Spring and early summer milk is always the best.
Some customers may order skim milk, soy milk, or other varieties, so it is important to practise with each milk type in order to make good froth. It is essential that only fresh, cold milk is used for making white coffee. Milk that has already been steamed will produce watery and poor tasting coffee and will not texture well.
Important points about milk temperature:
- It is important to use a thermometer when you are learning, as it is very hard to gauge the correct temperature just by feel
- Check your establishment's policy regarding the heating temperature for milk because some establishments will not heat the milk above 65°C
- Some customers prefer their milk to be heated to almost scalding point. Explain how this affects the taste but in the end it is their choice!
- To accommodate the establishment's clients who prefer to drink their white coffee very hot, it is possible to heat the milk to ~70°C without too much deterioration in the milk quality
Full cream milk
For milk to qualify as full cream, it must contain at least 3.2% of fat. Most brands contain an average of 3.8% of fat. It has a rich and creamy texture. This type of milk is typically used with coffee unless specified otherwise.
Skim milk
This type of milk has no more than 0.15% of fat, it can be labelled as 'fat free' even though it contains a small amount of fat. Skim milk powder is usually added to most brands to give it a creamier taste and to also boost the protein and calcium content.
Soy milk
Soy millk is produced by soaking dried soybeans and grinding them in water. It contains the same amount of protein as cow's milk, with a nutty flavour and a thicker texture. It is becoming a regular staple in most cafés as it is requested so often.
Other milks
There are a number of other milk's on the market that are starting to appear in busy cafés.
Almond milk - Not available at Sandbar Cafe due to nut allergies!
Almond milk is another plant based milk with a nutty flavour and thin texture. It is produced by grinding almonds in water then straining to a smooth consistency.
Rice milk
Rice milk is made by pressing brown rice through a mill using diffusion to strain out the pressed grains. It has a subtle sweet flavour and can also come in different flavours.
Oat milk
For milk to qualify as full cream, it must contain at least 3.2% of fat. Most brands contain an average of 3.8% of fat. It has a rich and creamy texture. This type of milk is typically used with coffee unless specified otherwise.
Skim milk
This type of milk has no more than 0.15% of fat, it can be labelled as 'fat free' even though it contains a small amount of fat. Skim milk powder is usually added to most brands to give it a creamier taste and to also boost the protein and calcium content.
Soy milk
Soy millk is produced by soaking dried soybeans and grinding them in water. It contains the same amount of protein as cow's milk, with a nutty flavour and a thicker texture. It is becoming a regular staple in most cafés as it is requested so often.
Other milks
There are a number of other milk's on the market that are starting to appear in busy cafés.
Almond milk - Not available at Sandbar Cafe due to nut allergies!
Almond milk is another plant based milk with a nutty flavour and thin texture. It is produced by grinding almonds in water then straining to a smooth consistency.
Rice milk
Rice milk is made by pressing brown rice through a mill using diffusion to strain out the pressed grains. It has a subtle sweet flavour and can also come in different flavours.
Oat milk
Stretching and Texturing Milk
The way the milk is treated depends on the style of coffee being made. 3 popular styles using milk are cappuccino, latte and flat white. Cappuccino requires equal parts steamed milk and foam, whereas latte requires only a small amount of foam and creamier milk. A flat white should have no foam at all.
Milk jugs for espresso making are specifically designed with a long pouring spout. They are wider at the base than the top so that the milk has room to roll. When making milk coffees, select the correct sized jug. If you are making cappuccinos use a jug ~2/3 larger than the required portions of milk to allow for expansion of the milk volume during the stretching process. If you are only making one milk coffee, pour enough milk into the jug to make that one coffee. It is bad practice to heat more milk than you require. Pre-heated milk does not respond well to reheating.
Making the milk for a coffee is a 2-part process. The first part involves introducing air bubbles into the milk, which is known as stretching. The second part involves heating and mixing the air bubbles through the milk to create the desired texture, which is known as texturing.
Milk jugs for espresso making are specifically designed with a long pouring spout. They are wider at the base than the top so that the milk has room to roll. When making milk coffees, select the correct sized jug. If you are making cappuccinos use a jug ~2/3 larger than the required portions of milk to allow for expansion of the milk volume during the stretching process. If you are only making one milk coffee, pour enough milk into the jug to make that one coffee. It is bad practice to heat more milk than you require. Pre-heated milk does not respond well to reheating.
Making the milk for a coffee is a 2-part process. The first part involves introducing air bubbles into the milk, which is known as stretching. The second part involves heating and mixing the air bubbles through the milk to create the desired texture, which is known as texturing.
Preparing Milk for a Cappucino
The following steps explain how to prepare milk for a cappuccino
Stretching:
Texturing:
The optimal outcome for cappuccino is equal amounts of textured milk and foam in the cup. Pour the textured milk immediately into the cups with the jug held low so that the separation or 'Guinness effect' of the milk and the foam occurs in the cup.
Pouring the milk quickly at a shallow angle allows plenty of foam and textured milk to pour from the mouth of the jug. If making multiple cappuccinos, pour the milk quickly from the jug to just over half way in the cups from first to last and then fill them up from last to first. This will help to achieve an equal amount of foam and textured milk in each cup.
Note: If using skim milk for cappuccinos, it is essential that the coffee is ready before steaming the milk. Skim milk separates quickly in the jug and whirling it will not be successful. Other milks, such as soy and long life milk, are able to be textured and can be successfully used to create all of the white coffees.
Stretching:
- Select an appropriate sized jug and fill with cold milk to about 1/3 full
- Purge the steam wand of any water and place the tip of the steamer nozzle just below the surface of the milk, ensuring that all nozzle holes are covered with milk
- The steamer wand should be positioned at an angle so the steam is directed towards the bottom and edge of the jug. This will create a whirlpool action and help the air incorporate evenly. It will also help you see into the jug to observe the wand and the action of the milk
- Turn on the steam and adjust the height of the jug until you hear a constant, soft hissing sound. The hissing sound is the air bubbles being incorporated into the milk
- As more air is brought into the milk the milk level rises. Continually lower the jug so that the tip of the steamer wand is kept just below the surface of the milk and you can still hear the hissing sound
- Keep lowering the jug until you have achieved the required volume - approximately double the starting volume
- Once the required volume is achieved you will begin the texturing process
Texturing:
- Raise the jug so that you no longer hear the hissing sound
- Continue heating the milk so that it moves in a whirlpool fashion, until it reaches the desired temperature. Using a thermometer to judge, turn off the steamer once the temperature has reached 60-65°C
- The milk in the jug should be dense and creamy with very fine bubbles over the surface of the milk. It should also look very shiny on the surface as you swirl the jug. If it does, you have created perfectly stretched and textured milk
- If there are any large bubbles on the surface of the milk, tap the bottom of the jug on the bench to make them disappear
- While the coffee is extracting into the cup, keep swirling the milk in the jug to keep the foam and textured milk from separating
The optimal outcome for cappuccino is equal amounts of textured milk and foam in the cup. Pour the textured milk immediately into the cups with the jug held low so that the separation or 'Guinness effect' of the milk and the foam occurs in the cup.
Pouring the milk quickly at a shallow angle allows plenty of foam and textured milk to pour from the mouth of the jug. If making multiple cappuccinos, pour the milk quickly from the jug to just over half way in the cups from first to last and then fill them up from last to first. This will help to achieve an equal amount of foam and textured milk in each cup.
Note: If using skim milk for cappuccinos, it is essential that the coffee is ready before steaming the milk. Skim milk separates quickly in the jug and whirling it will not be successful. Other milks, such as soy and long life milk, are able to be textured and can be successfully used to create all of the white coffees.
Milk Hygeine
Whenever milk is used, hygiene procedures must be followed strictly. Whenever it is not in use, milk must be kept in the refrigerator. Equipment must be kept clean and all commodities and equipment must be thoroughly checked before use.
Always wipe off the milk residue from the steamer wand and purge the nozzle with steam immediately after you texture milk in the milk jug, even before you pour the milk. This keeps the steamer wand free from a buildup of milk solids and allows the milk to move easily around the steamer wand without dragging. It also reduces the chance of bacterial growth when the steamer wand is not in use. Use a different cloth for wiping the steamer nozzle to the one for wiping up residual spills and keeping the bench clean. It is advisable to use different coloured cloths for each application, e.g. a green cloth for wiping the steamer wand and a blue cloth for wiping up spills and cleaning the bench. |
Curdling
Milk can curdle in coffee or when it is heated, especially when the milk is older or has gone off. Sometimes the milk can seem to be ok but will still curdle when added to coffee, particularly if the coffee is very strong. Therefore, all mise en place needs to be checked before service.
Barista Tip: Use by dates are only a guide. If the milk is left out of fridge then the milk is deteriorating - ALWAYS smell it first!
Soy milk curdles more often than regular milk when it is added to coffee, even when fresh. This is thought to be due to a reaction between the tannins in coffee and the proteins in the soy milk. Some ways to avoid curdling are:
Barista Tip: Use by dates are only a guide. If the milk is left out of fridge then the milk is deteriorating - ALWAYS smell it first!
Soy milk curdles more often than regular milk when it is added to coffee, even when fresh. This is thought to be due to a reaction between the tannins in coffee and the proteins in the soy milk. Some ways to avoid curdling are:
- Shake the soy milk well before heating or serving
- Add soy milk to the cup first then add coffee
- Let coffee stand for a few minutes before adding soy milk