How to Use a Milk Frother

How to Use a Milk Frother: Savouring the Delectable Creaminess

Last Updated on January 10, 2023

If you enjoy everything coffee-related, you might be looking for ways to add more froth to your drinks. It’s a fact that frothers can add more smoothness and flavour to your latte. Hence, we’re here to provide you with different ways and steps on how to use a milk frother.

Frothing Guide

If you’re a frothing beginner or want to learn some new tips for making delicious smoothness and richness, we’ve got some easy-to-use guide for you.

Step 1: Choose Your Milk

The first thing you’ll need is milk – this could be almond milk or dairy – to create a soft froth to your coffee. For a creamier consistency, opt for cow’s milk, as this will create a thick, soft froth that’s much creamier by nature.

Once you’ve chosen the best milk for you, it’s time to heat the milk – but don’t boil it, as this could ruin the consistency and not provide a soft foam. Furthermore, you should use around 120ml of milk and pour it into a mug to use with your frother.

Step 2: Put the Milk Frother in the Drink

After you’ve poured in the required amount of milk, place the baton into the milk slowly. Once you’ve inserted the inner end into the milk, switch on the milk frother. All the while, ensure that you move the frother slowly up and down, preventing any rapid movements. In addition, you’ll need to bring the rod to the top so it can incorporate air for the perfect frothy, foam layer on your latte.

For a lot of milk froth, you can add more milk to your drink and continue using the milk frother. However, you’ll need to start the process again by heating the milk.

Furthermore, ensure that you place the wand at an angle that is parallel to the cup. Aim properly to keep it moving from the top of the milk to the bottom of the cup to create consistency throughout the drink. The angle that you use is important because keeping the wand too high in the air can create a mess on your kitchen surfaces.

Electric Milk Frother vs. Manual Milk Frother

There are two types of milk frothers available: manual frother, also known as a milk frothing wand, and an electric milk frother.

Manual

A manual milk frother can create smoothness, and creaminess to your milk in as little as 20 seconds. They’re battery-operated and require some manual work, but they’re the cheapest option.

Electric

Alternatively, an automatic electric milk frother is capable of frothing and heating the milk at the same time. This is ideal for busy people because you don’t have to heat the milk before you start the process. Plus, some milk frothers feature a temperature control setting so you can easily manipulate how hot you want your milk. Best of all, an electric model will froth milk without you having to put in any work (other than placing the milk frother into the drink). Consequently, you can leave it alone while you take care of making breakfast.

Benefits of Milk Frothers

If you love coffee drinks, you might want to use a milk frother to improve the coffee’s smoothness. Fortunately, frothers – whether electric or manual frothers – have many benefits to using them, and below are some of the most common traits.

Versatile for Various Drinks

A milk frother is highly versatile, allowing you to use it in chocolate drinks, lattes, hot milk, and hot or cold drinks. They’re best known for creating delicious frothy milk for lattes, but you can customise it to suit the beverage of your choice.

In addition, you can add flavour into your chosen milk to suit your liking, so you don’t need to purchase whipped cream to create a creamy consistency that you love. Furthermore, you can concoct an exciting work of art on your drinks using a milk frother. Just think of the incredible shapes and designs you sometimes see on hot drinks from a coffee shop.

Safe and Convenient to Operate

You can use a milk frother without any safety hazards or concerns – no matter the type of frother that you choose. They’re also designed to be user-friendly, although an electric frother might require a bit more thought and research before use. With that being said, you can start by checking the brand’s instructions.

Moreover, a handheld milk frother is easy to maintain, thanks to its compact size and usability. This means that you won’t have to spend a lot of time cleaning them after every use. Some are dishwasher-safe for one of the easier ways to keep it clean at home. Otherwise, you can give it a rinse in the sink with warm, soapy water to remove any milk residue.

Create Milk Foam Quickly

Whether you choose a milk frother on hot or cold foam, these little gadgets get to work quickly to prevent any delays. You can choose to froth the milk to your liking and top up with more milk if you’d prefer a creamier texture. Best of all, these frothers typically take less than one minute to operate, depending on the model or type of frother you have.

Do You Froth Milk Hot or Cold?

Although you can froth cold milk with a milk frother, we recommend heating your milk between 60 – 68 degrees Celsius for the best results. Gently heating your milk makes it taste slightly sweeter, therefore, enhancing the flavour of your drink. If you exceed this temperature, the milk won’t be as creamy and it could also affect the taste.

Some coffee connoisseurs swear by using room temperature milk for the best milk froth, so why not test it out and see what works best for you?

Why Using Milk Froth Can Make a Difference to Your Coffee Drink

It’s possible to create a delicious latte or cappuccino at home without spending a lot of time in the kitchen or requiring a high-end espresso machine. Milk frothing adds a sweeter taste to your cappuccino. This is because when the milk is heated, the lactose dissolves. The more fat you use, the richer the milk will become. So if you opt for skim milk or almond milk, your coffee drink won’t be as creamy compared to using full-fat milk.

Furthermore, a frother device can enhance the creaminess and smoothness of your cappuccino. It will surely come in handy if you’ve purchased a brand of coffee that you’re not too sold on and want to add more of your favourite flavour.

How to Clean a Frothing Wand

Now that you know how to use a milk frother, it’s time to discover how to keep your steam wand clean and hygienic – ready for the next time.

Handheld Device

Fill a cup with warm water and some washing-up liquid (you’ll only need a couple of drops). Place the wand into the cup and switch on the frothing wand. Leave it to run for up to 15 seconds and switch it off. Then remove from the cup.

Empty the glass and fill it with water, without any soap. Place the frothing wand back into the water and switch it on again for 15 seconds. Remove and rinse under a tap for a thorough clean. You can then wipe it dry and place it back into the cupboard.

Electric Frothing Device

Unplug the frother and remove it from the whisk. Rinse it under running water with a soapy, soft sponge. Once this is clean, dry it thoroughly. Then, remove the lid from the frother and wipe it with a wet cloth. Take extra care and consideration at this point, because milk can seep into the seals, so you may need a thin piece of cloth to reach these awkward spaces. Ensure that you wipe the seal itself, too, and dry the lid thoroughly before you reattach the components.

Finally, you can clean the main milk frother housing. Bear in mind that you shouldn’t submerge this in water. Remain careful when wiping with a wet sponge and use something soft. Many milk frothers come with a non-stick coating, so you won’t need to scrub the surface.

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Should You Froth Milk Before or After Coffee?

If you watch the baristas in your favourite coffee shops, you will notice that they froth the milk in a separate jug and then pour it over your shot of coffee. This is how they can achieve that cool latte art.

We recommend pouring steamed milk onto coffee and not the other way around.

Why You Shouldn’t Re-Froth Milk

You shouldn’t froth milk more than once. Instead, if you have any milk leftover after making your coffee, it’s best to throw it away rather than saving it. This is because reheating the milk causes the proteins to break down. As a result, it can negatively affect the milk’s sweetness and consistency, creating a water-like mixture.

Furthermore, milk that’s been reheated can become too hot and may even burn you. Always choose fresh milk with your wand for the best, safest results.

Reasons Your Milk Isn’t Frothing

Your milk might not be frothing because you’re not using fresh milk. Like we mentioned previously, the freshest ingredients will get you the best, creamiest results.

In addition, opt for full-fat milk if you can as this creates a thicker foam with a frother. Low-fat or skim milk tends to stay light and can create a reduced quantity of foam with large air bubbles, resulting in a thinner consistency.

On the other hand, if you’re searching for dairy-free milk, try coconut or oat milk. Both are available in a barista version. Meaning, it’s slightly heavier, making it best for using with a frother and creating a foaming consistency.

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Start Upgrading Your Coffee drinks

If you regularly enjoy speciality coffee drinks but don’t want to pay the high price of a coffee shop, knowing how to use a milk frother is an invaluable skill to have.

Do you have another way of using a frother? Or perhaps you know the best milk for frothing. Either way, share your tips and advice with us and other readers in the comments.

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