The cappuccino is an iconic coffee with centuries of history behind it, and it’s a very brave coffee business that doesn’t have one on the menu!
Cappuccino is one of the UK’s most popular coffees, and whilst it was traditionally a breakfast coffee, it’s now enjoyed throughout the day. Great cappuccino is the perfect marriage of milk and coffee: foamy, sophisticated and satisfying – but so many coffee outlets get it very wrong!
In this post, we show you exactly what goes into the perfect cappuccino.
Cappuccino size and ratios
Traditional Italian cappuccinos tend to be served in smaller cup (5-7oz) using a single shot of espresso, and that’s how we believe it is best served. However, many UK customers tend to expect a larger cappuccino served in a 12oz cup, and made with 2 shots of espresso.
Whether you go for a traditional Italian preparation, or a crowd-pleasing UK serving, the proportions remain the same:
- 1/3 espresso
- 1/3 steamed milk
- 1/3 foam
The idea is to create the perfect balance. The steamed milk complements and softens the bitterness of the coffee, whilst the light foam brings a beautiful, luxurious texture to every mouthful.
The espresso
We’ve said it before on the blog, and we’ll say it again – every great coffee starts with a great espresso!
It doesn’t matter how smooth, silky and frothy your milk is, or how perfect your temperatures or proportions are – if you don’t get the espresso right, you can’t make the perfect cappuccino.
If you haven’t already, learn the foundations of great coffee making and take a look at our previous post on how to pull the perfect espresso.
Frothing the milk
Frothing milk is an art form in itself. It can be tricky at first, and many beginners tend to scald the milk. When milk reaches 70 degrees Celsius, sugars start to release from the milk, and its flavour begins to change, which has a real impact on the taste of your finished drink. To avoid this, make sure you use a thermometer when steaming or frothing milk.
Milk with a higher fat content froths up better, so go for semi skimmed or whole, taken straight from the fridge. You’ll also want to use a cold metal steaming jug, which will maximise the amount of time you have to generate a good layer of foam before the milk gets too hot.
To create foam, you’ll need to get air into your milk. Keep the steam nozzle on your machine near the top of the milk, and whilst this will vary depending on your equipment, around 1-2cm below the surface is a good rule of thumb.
Once the milk has stretched to around double its size, and reached the required temperature (around 65 degrees Celsius maximum), you’re going to need to tap the jug on the work surface a few times, then swirl it around for a couple of seconds.
This will help to break up any big bubbles, leaving you with beautifully glossy steamed milk, topped with a thick layer of light and tight foam.
Assembling your cappuccino
Start with your freshly pulled espresso in the bottom of the cup. It’s now time to add the steamed milk. Start your pour from a height of around 5-6 inches (10-12cm), into the centre of the cup and gradually move your jug closer to the cup as you complete the pour. This process will ensure that you don’t cover the crema of your espresso.
Once you’ve finished adding the milk, flick the jug forward, or use a spoon to add the final third of foam to the top of the drink. If you like, you can then add a small sprinkling of cocoa powder to complete the drink, although traditional Italian preparations usually skip this step.
Never use a sweet chocolate powder or grated chocolate, as this will add unnecessary sweetness to the finished cappuccino.
How Big Coffee can help
At Big Coffee, we help passionate people to establish and run successful independent coffee businesses.
We provide a full service designed to turn your coffee dreams into a reality, from supplying a superb, handcrafted coffee cart packed with high quality equipment, to supporting you with your business plan and providing you with barista training.
For further information, call our friendly team of coffee experts today on 01482 655020.
