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Preparing Cappuccino
Preparing Café Latte
• The Italian word Cappuccino is derived
from Capuchin, an order of monks who
wear garments the color of this most
popular espresso drink. A standard
Cappuccino is a combination of steamed
milk and espresso that’s capped with a
layer of frothed milk; it’s usually served
in a bowl-shaped cup of 6 to 7 ounce
volume.
• A basic Café Latte is a single shot (1 oz.)
of espresso topped with 8 to 10 ounces
of steamed milk and about 1/4-inch of
foamed milk. Lattes are often flavored
with 1 to 2 ounces of syrup, the most
popular being almond and hazelnut. If
you use chocolate syrup and garnish the
drink with whipped cream and chocolate
shavings, you’ll have that chocolate and
coffee lover’s dream, the Café Mocha.
• To prepare a Café Latte, you will need
a pitcher larger than the one supplied
with the Espresso Machine. A 16 ounce
capacity pitcher is perfect. Fill the pitcher
• To prepare Cappuccino, froth and steam
the milk before brewing the espresso.
This allows the froth to gel slightly and
fully separate from the milk. Once the
milk is prepared, brew a single shot
(1 oz.) of espresso into a Cappuccino
cup, then pour the frothed and steamed
milk into the cup with a gentle shaking
motion. For a show-stopping flourish, top
your Cappuccino with nutmeg, cinnamon,
chocolate powder, or chocolate shavings.
1/2 full with cold milk. The steaming
technique for Lattes is almost the same
as Cappuccino, except the goal is to
impart a velvety texture to the milk while
minimizing froth. Keep the frothing nozzle
deeper in the milk so the milk volume
expands more slowly. No large bubbles
or froth should form.
• Once the milk is prepared, brew the
espresso into a Latte mug, add the syrup
if any, and gently fill with steamed milk.
Barista tips
When brewing multiple shots:
• Use a towel to clean and dry the filter
basket before filling with coffee. This will
help to achieve even coffee extraction.
To maintain the proper brewing
temperature, it is important to keep the
brew group warm, so:
• Do not rinse the portafilter with tap water
– doing so will cool the filter. It’s best to
wipe leftover grounds from the filter
with a towel.
• When you’re busy with other tasks, like
grinding coffee or frothing milk, keep the
empty portafilter warm by attaching it to
the brew head.
• Clean the frothing arm and nozzle
immediately after use. See “Care and
Cleaning” section.
• Lower fat milks are generally easier to
froth. Skim milk can be tricky because it
froths very easily, with a tendency to form
large bubbles and dry peaks that mar its
texture. Ultimately, the choice of milk is
a matter of experimentation and taste.
The most important factors in producing
a superior froth are experience and good
refrigeration: the colder the milk you use,
the better.
TIPS FOR GREAT RESULTS
