Love nothing more than your daily cup of coffee but fed up of having to trek to your local coffeehouse to get one? If you answered yes to that question, then you might currently be wondering how to go about making one yourself, from the comfort of your very own home.
The good news is that achieving that same taste of your favourite cappuccino order is easy as can be, and we’re here to show you how to do it.
Below, you’ll find step-by-step instructions on how to whip up a cappuccino better than your favourite barista, as well as some tips and tricks to achieve that authentic coffeehouse feeling. Read on!
What’s the difference between a cappuccino and other types of coffee?
Made popular during both world war one and world war two, a cappuccino starts with one or two shots of espresso (most commonly two shots of espresso) then followed by steamed milk and a delicious dollop of frothed milk.
The foam on top of the cappuccino is one of the main features that sets it apart from other types of coffee, and also so happens to be one of the most difficult parts of the cappuccino to get right!
A cappuccino is subtly creamy and traditionally has a strong espresso flavour due to the cappuccino having less milk and more foam than other types of coffee.
When made absolutely perfectly, a cappuccino should have a velvety and thick texture, and this is mainly down to the 1-to-1 ratio of foam to liquid.
Interestingly enough, despite the huge dollop of milky foam that goes on top of the cappuccino, it’s actually one of the most healthy coffee options on the menu!
A cappuccino tends to have fewer calories than a latte, for example, because it is specifically made to have a smaller amount of milk.
For this reason, while your standard latte made with whole milk might equate to around 215 calories (on average) if you were to instead opt for a cappuccino of the same size, you would only be consuming around 115 calories.
Fun fact: Coffee connoisseurs can figure out the foam to liquid ratio, just by feeling the weight of the cappuccino!
What milk can be used to make a cappuccino?
When it comes to cappuccino making, you can choose from a variety of different milk options.
Generally speaking, you should always make sure that you are using fresh milk, as milk that is near (or getting close to) its expiration date often tends to be unable to froth well, and the foam is one of the most integral parts of the perfect cappuccino.
However, besides ensuring that the milk you use is fresh, you can choose to use whichever type of milk you want. You can use whole milk, semi-skimmed or skimmed, as well as non-dairy alternatives such as oat milk.
As a side note, if you want the best froth, then we recommend using whole milk due to the fat content, and oat milk (Oatly Original makes a great foam) if you are using a non-dairy alternative.
How To Make A Cappuccino: Step-by-Step Instructions
If you love nothing more than a great cappuccino, then there’s simply no reason why you can’t enjoy this small but mighty espresso coffee in the comfort of your own home!
Homemade cappuccino can be just as delicious as the one that you buy in a coffee shop, and more often than not it’s a whole lot cheaper, too!
- First things first, you’re going to want to steam your milk – safely! Heat up one cup of milk in a saucepan by placing it over medium heat on your stove and allow it to warm up. Allow the milk to simmer until you notice that bubbles have formed around the edges of the pan, however, don’t let it boil, otherwise, the milk will sour. As soon as you can see that the bubbles have begun to form around the edge, immediately take the saucepan off the stove, and allow it to cool.
- After you have sorted out your milk, the next step that you will need to do is to froth up the milk and make it deliciously foamy. You could do this step by hand with a stirring whisk, although we do recommend using an electric mixer, as the speed of one will be able to really froth up the milk and give you the best results. Pour your milk into a bowl or glass, and then insert your electric whisk. Make sure that you keep it submerged while whisking (so that the milk doesn’t splatter anywhere) and continue whisking the milk in a gentle, circular motion until you are happy with the level of froth that the milk has.
- Next, it will be time to make the coffee! In order to achieve an authentic coffeehouse flavour, we recommend using ground coffee and making it in either a French press or coffee maker, rather than using instant coffee. Whether you prefer a full-bodied dark roast or an aromatic light roast, add two tablespoons of your chosen coffee grounds into the French press, and then proceed to make it as you normally would.
- Once you feel that you have given your coffee enough time to brew in the French press or your coffee maker of choice, you can now proceed to make your cappuccino! This is a step that you have to get right, otherwise, you might end up needing to start all over from scratch. To make a classic cappuccino, you will need to fill your mug with ⅓ espresso, ⅓ steamed milk, and then ⅓ of milky foam – in that order!
- Once you’ve made your cappuccino, you can then either leave it as it is or gets a little creative and add your choice of flavoured syrup (vanilla is delicious, we recommend this one) or even add a classic sprinkling of chocolate. As soon as you’re happy with your cappuccino, all you will then need to do is give it time to cool, sit back, relax and enjoy!
