The cappuccino coffee is an Italian beverage typically containing double espresso, steamed milk, and foam on top. Sometimes cream is used instead of milk depending on the person's preference. Cappuccino usually has a lower volume than a latter with a thicker layer of microfoam. Usually, when you order this beverage, you’d find that the uppermost third of the drink is milk foam, and is enhanced with additional milk to make art. But this can also be replaced by simply adorning the brew with cinnamon or cocoa powder. While preparing this beverage at home might require some skill on your part, we have just the right recipe to guide you through it. But before we get started, here’s a little trivia about cappuccino coffee.
The word cappuccino translates to little cap in Italian, a closely apt description of the head of foamed milk sitting atop the espresso base of this brew. However, there is also an argument to be made according to history that the cappuccino coffee allegedly gets its name from the dress of the Capuchin order of monks. This is a reference to the iconic brown hooded cowls and shaved heads of the monks that make them a pretty close human resemblance to how the classic beverage looks like.
Ingredients
Since cappuccino coffee contains two separate parts of double espresso and foamed milk, the ingredients and the preparation also consist of two separate halves.Â
For the Espresso
- 2 tablespoons finely ground dark roast coffee
- 4 ounces water
Preparing a good cup of cappuccino coffee also requires the highest quality of coffee beans. You can shop for that near your local store or market to pick the beans of your choice. Or you could even order coffee online like the Vienna Coffee Bean, a dark roast Arabica coffee that gives you the supple taste of bittersweet chocolate, burnt caramel and toasted walnut with every sip.
For the Foamed Milk
- 4 ounces milk
The Recipe
Pulling The Double Shot Of Espresso (The First Half)
Step 1
The first step is to gather the ingredients that you need to pull the double shot of espresso.
Step 2
The next step is to heat water for the espresso which you can do by putting water into the water heater.
Step 3
The third step is placing the ground coffee powder into the portafilter. You need to use two tablespoons of coffee for a double shot of espresso.
Step 4
Next, tamp or press the down into the portafilter with the help of a tamper. It is important to ensure that the ground coffee in the portafilter is packed tightly before proceeding any further. So it is advisable to check for it just to be sure. Once done, place the portafilter into your espresso machine.
Step 5
To make espresso, put a small cup under the group head of your espresso machine and start the shot. Pull for 23 to 30 seconds or until 2 ounces of coffee is yielded. Usually, there is a lever, switch, or button to begin this process.
Foaming The Milk (The Second Half)
Step 1
It is important to begin by getting the right amount of milk for the double espresso. So start by placing milk into either a glass measuring cup or a small metal pitcher.
Step 2
For the next step, begin by inserting the steam wand into the container, but ensure that it is just under the surface of the milk. After that, engage the steam wand.
Step 3
When you are using the steam wand, make sure to tip it toward the side of the container to create a vortex in the milk. Moving the container higher, lower, closer and further than the steam wand is also important as it helps instil air into the milk, enabling foam to form.
Step 4
Once the foaming of the milk is done and the milk itself has doubled in size, turn the steam wand off.
Step 5
For the final step, top your espresso with the foamed milk. When you first pour the cappuccino coffee, all you'll see is espresso and foam. However, the milk will quickly settle out of the foam to create layers of steamed milk, espresso, and foam - in equal parts.
If you found this recipe helpful, then there’s tons more of where that came from. You can start off with our guide on How To Make Authentic South Indian Filter Coffee!
