The Kitchn: How to froth milk for cappuccinos in the microwave
Who doesn't love that creamy dollop of foam topping their morning cappuccino from the corner coffee shop? Did you know that you can make milk foam at home, too? And without needing to buy a fancy espresso maker? All you need is some milk, a clean jam jar and a microwave.
Making milk foam in the microwave is a two step process: first you shake the milk in a jar to create foam, and then you microwave it for a few seconds to stabilize the foam. Without the microwaving step, the foam will quickly collapse back into the milk.
As a bonus, you also get some warm milk to pour in your coffee!
This is one place where low-fat milk is our friend. As Harold McGee explains it in "On Food and Cooking," "Because the whey proteins are critical stabilizers (for milk foam), milks that are fortified with added protein -- usually reduced-fat and skim milks --are most easily foamed."
I've tried this microwave method with nonfat milk, 2 percent milk, whole fat milk and cream, and just as McGee foretold, the nonfat and 2 percent milks won every time. They both emerge from the microwave with impressive stacks of foam, while the whole fat milk and creams emerged with a mere film of tiny bubbles.
Once stabilized in the microwave, the milk foam is so thick that you can literally spoon it into your coffee mug. If you want a little milk as well, use your spoon to hold back the foam while you pour a little into your coffee, and then spoon the foam on top, barista-style.
How to Froth Milk for Cappuccinos in the Microwave
Ingredient:
2 percent or nonfat milk
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