How to Make a Cappuccino

Making the Espresso

Make your espresso in a moka pot. Fill the lower chamber of your moka pot with water and set the strainer on top. Fill the strainer with your espresso-ground coffee and wipe away any grounds on the edge. Screw on the top of the pot and set it on your stove over low heat. Heat the espresso until you hear gurgling and the water boils. Turn off the heat once the moka pot is full of espresso. Stir the pot and use the espresso right away. Avoid packing down the espresso in the strainer. This can clog your moka pot. You should heat the moka pot for 5 to 7 minutes.

Use an aeropress to make espresso. Put the filter into the filter cap and twist it onto the chamber. Set the the chamber on top of the glass you want to serve the cappuccino in and measure 1 mounded scoop coffee into the chamber. Carefully pour boiling hot water up to the one mark. Stir the espresso for 10 seconds and then insert the aeropress plunger into the chamber. Slowly press down until you hit the grounds. This will extract the espresso. Use fine-ground coffee in the aeropress and shake it once it's in the chamber. This will ensure that the espresso is extracted evenly.

Pull a shot of espresso from an espresso machine. An espresso machine is one of the best ways to get espresso with rich crema on top. Follow your machine's instructions to fill the portafilter with espresso grounds and insert it in the brew head. Start the machine to get a single or double shot of espresso. You can make cappuccino with as much espresso as you like. Consider using a single shot in a small cappuccino or use a double shot for a larger cappuccino.

Heating the Milk

Select your milk. You can use any type of milk you prefer, but keep in mind that whole milk will steam the easiest and create the best foam. If you use skim milk, it may separate more. Or you can use soy, nut, or rice milks. These may steam a little differently, so pay attention to how you heat them. To make a simple mocha cappuccino, you could use chocolate milk.

Pour the milk into a chilled pitcher. Pour cold milk into a clean, chilled pitcher. You should pour in more milk than you actually plan to drink. For example, if you want to make an 8-ounce (236 ml) cappuccino, you'll need to pour in 10 to 12 ounces (295 to 355 ml) of milk. This will allow the milk to expand and make it easier to pour. Using a chilled pitcher will make the milk steam longer which will create a smoother texture.

Purge and start the steam wand. Before you insert the steam wand into the pitcher of milk, turn it on briefly to purge (clean) out any water that's resting in the wand. Once it steams a little, turn it off and then insert it into the pitcher of milk. Immediately turn the wand back on and tilt the pitcher at a slight angle, so the milk heats and swirls. If you're new to steaming milk, you may want to clip a thermometer to the inside of the pitcher, so you can track how quickly the milk heats up. Keep in mind that the milk will continue to heat up after you've stopped steaming the milk.

Finish steaming the milk. Occasionally tilt the steam wand close to the surface of the milk. This will introduce air into the milk which creates the foam. You'll only need to do this for a few seconds or you'll risk making a lot of really dry foam. When you notice the milk getting around 150 to 160 degrees F (65 to 70 C), turn off the steam wand and remove the milk pitcher. Remember to purge the steam wand and wipe it clean with a wet cloth once you've finished steaming the milk. The steamed milk should be glossy and smooth, not dry or lumpy. Keep one of your hands on the side of the pitcher, so you can feel how hot it's getting. Remove your hand when it gets around 150 to 160 degrees F (65 to 70 C).

Consider heating the milk in the microwave. If you don't have a steam wand attached to your espresso machine, you can warm the milk in the microwave and shake it to create some foam. Place nonfat or low-fat milk into a small mason jar, so that it's at least half full. Put the lid on the jar and shake it for 30 seconds to 1 minute, so the milk foams up a lot. Remove the lid and microwave the jar for 30 seconds. The foam will only last for a few minutes with this method.

Try using a frother or whisk if you don't have a steam wand. If you don't have a steam wand, you could just heat the milk on the stove or in a microwave. Use a small, handheld milk frother or whisk to create the foam. Just continue to whisk or froth the milk until you have as much foam as you'd like. This method will make lots of foam, but it may have more bubbles in it than if you steam the milk.

Assembling the Cappuccino

Tap the steamed milk. Gently tap the pitcher of steamed milk onto the counter, so any large bubbles pop. This should leave only microfoam which smooth and glossy. Swirl the pitcher a little to keep the milk and foam from separating before you pour it.

Pour the espresso into your cup. If you didn't pull the espresso directly into your cup, pour the espresso you made (in the moka pot or aeropress) into your serving cup. For a small cappuccino, use 1 shot (30 ml) of espresso. For a larger cappuccino, use 2 shots (60 to 80 ml). Try to warm your cup before you add the espresso and milk. This will keep your drink warmer for longer.

Pour the milk into the espresso. Hold the cup with the espresso in it with one hand. Tilt it to the side and use your other hand to slowly pour the steamed milk into the center of the espresso. As the cup fills up, gradually move the cup, so it's level and pour a little faster to get the foam onto the top of the drink. Serve the cappuccino immediately. If you don't feel comfortable pouring the milk and foam in, you can use a long stirring spoon to hold the foam back. Then spoon the foam onto the top of the cappuccino.