Make your own cappuccino

Dhe cappuccino is the classic among Italian coffee specialties and should be on every coffee menu in cafés, coffee shops and restaurants in this country too. A good cappuccino touches every one of our senses and brings the Italian way of life very close for a moment. So that you too can prepare a perfect cappuccino, we explain this preparation method step by step with helpful tips.

The choice of coffee beans is crucial for a powerful coffee aroma in a cappuccino. A strongly roasted coffee variety is usually the first choice. We love our Black Label Coffee espresso beans in cappuccino Natural Uganda. A coffee bean made from 100% Robusta that harmonizes perfectly with milk in coffee variations and impresses with its strong and intense taste. This brings Italian flair directly into your cup and the cappuccino preparation is sure to be a success.

If you prefer a mild coffee flavor, you should opt for 100% Arabica beans, for example our low-acid coffee beans, the Malabar Arabica. If the coffee taste is still too intense for you, perhaps a milk coffee is more for you.

To make a perfect cappuccino yourself, you need a portafilter machine with a good steam nozzle or an electric milk frother. But if you can do without the beautiful works of art, known as "latte art" on your cappuccino, you can also make a wonderful cappuccino at home without an expensive coffee machine. Because it is also possible to prepare a cappuccino with a simpler fully automatic machine. We will show you how to do this in this article.

Cappuccino preparation: the equipment

For your cappuccino recipe, you need a way to make espresso and a way to froth milk. Do you have a portafilter machine or a fully automatic machine? Then you are already very well equipped here, as you can carry out both preparation steps on one machine. The steam nozzles on these machines also have a very high pressure and inject a lot of air into the milk foam to achieve a creamy consistency. But you can also conjure up a presentable cappuccino with an espresso maker or an Aeropress. There are several alternative options for making the milk foam: Electric milk frothers, a whisk or a screw-top jar with a tight seal. But more on that later.

No matter which technical system you use, a stainless steel jug with a small spout makes your work much easier. Better even two. We'll explain why during preparation. The jugs are available in different sizes. For one or two cappuccinos, we recommend the small milk jugs with a capacity of 350 ml.

Correct spelling: Cappuccino plural? = Cappuccini
According to Duden, the plural of cappuccino is cappuccini. According to the dictionary, the spelling Cappuccino[s] is also correct.

Last but not least, you will of course need small round cups, preferably thick-walled, as you will know them from cafés. They should hold around 200 - 250 ml of liquid. Take a look at our store here too. We have a selection of great cappuccino cups there. The stylish cupping bowls are also perfect for this.

The ingredients

100ml - 150ml cold milk
or milk substitutes (milk products with a high fat and protein content are somewhat easier to froth and have a firmer foam)

approx. 25ml espresso
(A strong bean is typical for this Italian coffee specialty. We recommend our Java Robusta here. However, if this is too strong for you, you can of course also use a low-acid bean. Ultimately, the quality is decisive for an intense taste experience.

possibly syrup
If you like, you can also sweeten the cappuccino with a syrup to taste. Nut or chocolate varieties are ideal for this.

The preparation

A classic cappuccino consists of an espresso with frothed milk poured on top and features a beautiful cap of milk foam. If you like it stronger, take a double espresso and reduce the milk content.

Unlike a latte macchiato, with this preparation method you start with the espresso and only then froth the milk.

Step by step to the perfect cappuccino

Step 1 - The espresso

Wondering whether to prepare milk or coffee first for your cappuccino? Well, espresso first is the motto. However, before preparing the espresso, you should preheat the cup. Either place the cups on the heating surface of your machine or pour hot water over the cup. This is important so that the espresso does not get cold while you are preparing the milk. Then prepare the espresso and let it run directly into the cup or pour it directly into the cup. You can also buy the right coffee beans from Black Label Coffee.

Our tip: If you are working with a portafilter machine/fully automatic machine, you can also froth the milk while the espresso is running into the cup.

Step 2 - Frothing the milk

If you have a portafilter machine or a fully automatic machine with a steam nozzle, fill the milk jug halfway with cold milk and insert the steam wand into the milk. Make sure that the steam nozzles are deep in the milk before you turn on the steam. Otherwise there will be a huge mess in the kitchen. After turning on the steam, bring the steam lance to just below the surface of the milk until you hear a "smacking" sound. Then slowly pull the jug downwards, piece by piece, as the foam develops. The steam nozzles are always just below the surface of the milk and swirl air into the milk and the foam develops. At the end, you should have at least a third more content in the milk jug than before.

Our tip: Turn off the steam when the jug gets hot and you can just about hold it. This is usually the perfect time for the right milk temperature.

No steam nozzle at home? Alternative ways to froth milk.

You can also prepare good milk foam without expensive equipment. However, you will always need a saucepan or a microwave. You will also need either a whisk, a screw-top glass or an electric milk frother. The first two methods require a bit of muscle work. With the whisk, you have to whisk the milk vigorously and quickly in the saucepan. With the screw-top jar method, the warm milk is poured halfway into the jar, closed with the lid and shaken vigorously.

Our tip: Cold and, above all, fresh milk is best for frothing!

Important: When preparing milk foam, the temperature of the milk is crucial. The temperature must never be higher than 70°. This is because the enzymes in the milk change and no more foam is produced and the milk smells and tastes burnt. You get the perfect froth at temperatures between 50° and 65°. A good guideline is if you can touch the jug with your fingers and it is just before it is too hot, you have the perfect temperature. Also good to know: Milk that has already been frothed can hardly be frothed at all. We therefore advise you to start again with fresh, cold milk and use the milk you have already used for something else.

Step 3 - Latte art

Now comes the most exciting part: the milk has to go into the espresso and the result should also look good. Once you have frothed the milk using a steam lance and produced a creamy, fine-pored froth, you can now try your hand at latte art. This is where the second stainless steel jug comes into play. We carefully but quickly pour the required amount of milk into the second milk jug, tilting the jug at a steep angle. This allows the milk to mix with the creamy foam in a special way.

Then take the cappuccino cup in your other hand and start pouring in the milk. To do this, first bring the jug close to the cup and pour the milk into the middle of the cup. Now you can also swirl a little to the left and right and pull the jug upwards at the end and tilt it forwards or backwards once. With a little practice, this will create hearts or leaves.

Alternative method for frothing milk

If you have used an alternative method for frothing milk, you can work with a tablespoon. While pouring the milk into the center of the cup, first hold back the foam with the tablespoon. Once the cup is half full, use the spoon to generously push the foam into the cup.

Voilá - your perfect cappuccino

Our tip: If you like your cappuccino sweet, try stirring the sugar or syrup directly into the espresso before pouring in the milk. The sweet taste is much better distributed this way.

Make your own cappuccino: The quick guide