There are quiet a few variations to consider when trying to prepare perfect cappuccino milk at home. In this blog post we have tried to pick some of the most common steam wand styles you find on domestic coffee machines and share a few tips and tricks on how you can get the best from these machines.
La Pavoni Europiccola Lever Coffee Machine – Making Cappuccino Milk at Home
La Pavoni manual lever machines are a style icon and remain very true to the original design dating back to the 1950’s . As such they require a little more understanding to get the best espresso pour and prepare cappuccino milk. However this gives you a greater understanding of how to craft perfect drinks! The Short video below shows you how to get great results when using the La Pavoni Europiccola to prepare milk.
As you can see in the video positioning of the steam wand within the body of liquid is critical. Positioning this way will achieve the smooth glossy milk to make the perfect drink. Creating a vortex or rolling of the milk within the jug whilst introducing air to stretch the milk. In the video you, the barista, uses a finger on the side of the jug to avoid overheating the milk. This comes with experience and if you are just starting out the use of a milk thermometer may help.
La Pavoni Baretto and Gran Caffe Coffee Machines – Making Cappuccino Milk at Home
Semi automatic machines such as La Pavoni Baretto, Gran Caffe and the Gaggia Classic (featured in the video) all have steam wand arrangements designed to assist the user; by reducing the subtle techniques required to introduce heat and air into the milk during preparation. These designs, on the whole, rely on the same Venturi effect; they introduce air into the milk as steam passes down the steam wand. The video below shows how to achieve great results when using the La Pavoni Baretto and La Pavoni Gran Caffe steam wands to prepare milk.