Saturday, January 12, 2008

How to Make Latte Foam without an Espresso Machine

Need some froth to make a proper caffe latte? You don't even need a special machine (aka: espresso machine) to get the job done right. Here's the options you have, coffee lover, to great frothy amounts of delicious milky foam:

1. Use a good quality whisk! Heat milk slowly in a pot on top of the stove, and whisk away - increasing the amount you whisk as the heat slowly heats. Don't let the milk boil, or you'll have a mess on your hands. You just want heated frothy milk. And remember to only fill the pot about one third to one half full, as the volume of the frothy milk will need room to expand.

2. Use a French press! Grab your Bodum and use it in a whole new way...heat milk first in a pot on the stovetop until very hot, but not boiling. Pour carefully into your Bodum container and pump the plunger until the steamed milk is nice and frothy. Again, allow plenty of room for the froth to expand.

Voila, delicious steamed milk foam -- perfect as a basis for all sorts of decadent latte creations. Next lesson? How to use this steamed milk foam to make a latte at home. Stay tuned!