To make a great-tasting flat white or latte at home, you need to understand what microfoam is and look at how milk and espresso combine. Temperature and texture are the two key components.
Microfoam Milk
The pressure is on
“Creating perfect microfoam is a challenge, even for experienced professionals. You need to introduce exactly the right amount of steam pressure from the wand and integrate it evenly throughout the milk, as well as heating your milk to precisely the right temperature. However, if you want to learn, then you’re in the right place.”
Ryan McLachlan, Coffee Specialist at Breville Australia.
Make the most of your milk
From that first sip, you know when a flat white or latte is just right. The first thing that hits your tastebuds is the sweetness and creaminess in the milk, and that perfect velvety texture.
All of that comes from the air that is incorporated into the milk. Exactly how much air is used varies between different coffee styles, but the basic technique remains the same.
There are three main steps to creating consistently good microfoam at home:
1. Always remember – texture then temperature.
2. Purge your steam wand before and after every use.
3. Practice with the same type and brand of milk to help with consistency.
This video will show you how to incorporate the right amount of air at the right temperature to create silky smooth microfoam at home.
