Unlike espresso, cappuccino coffee has a mild sweetish taste, without the bitterness characteristic of the base. Warmed cow's milk, an essential ingredient in the classic recipe, produces a similar effect. When the temperature required for cappuccino is reached, lactose breaks down into simple sugars and adds sweetness. We tell you how to achieve the taste at home, in what proportions to use the ingredients and whether it is possible to follow the brewing technology outside cafes and coffee shops.
What is cappuccino
A classic cappuccino is a coffee made from milk and a double shot of espresso. The milk is heated to the required temperature and foamed with steam, after which it is combined with the base.
You can recognize the drink by its characteristic cap of dense white milk foam.
The ratio of components in the traditional Italian method of preparation is 5 to 1. In Russia and the world, it is more often prepared from equal parts of espresso, milk and milk foam.
It is not easy to prepare this variety without a coffee maker and a cappuccino maker, but it is possible. The result directly depends on adherence to technology, proportions, quality of milk and espresso. Before cooking, you should carefully study the theory and select good ingredients.
How the drink came about
The official history of cappuccino begins in the 20th century. It was then that the name was assigned to a drink made from cream and coffee with pronounced foam. Italy is considered the birthplace of drinking, but similar varieties were found before, in other countries.
The “progenitor” of the drink was the Austrian version made from coffee, cream and yolks. Back in the 18th century, the mixture of ingredients began to be called the Italian word cappuccino, which translates as “capuchin”. At the time the variety was created, the Capuchin order was popular, whose members wore robes of a similar red-brown color.
According to another version, the name is associated with nasturtium flowers. The shape of the porcelain cups for serving the drink resembles red-orange capuchins.
In Russia, the name of the drink was fixed in the form of “cappuccino”. Other variants that retain double “p” and “h” are also less common. However, the spelling when choosing between cappuccino or cappuccino advises choosing the second option.
What's included
Unlike instant coffee with foam with a dozen ingredients, the drink from coffee shops includes 2 components: espresso and milk. When choosing a standard recipe and following the cooking technology, the calorie content reaches an average of 400 kcal.
The first is preferably brewed from freshly ground grains with a classic taste - Arabica or a blend of Arabica and Robusta. Brazil Santos, Caruso, Honduras go well with sweetness.
Ready-to-cook, factory-made powder is not suitable.
Roast the beans yourself; medium and dark roasts are suitable.
To prepare this variety, you need to take care of the choice of milk. A dense, stable foam is produced by a product with an average percentage of fat content and a high protein content - more than 3%.
It should be natural milk without adding powder. An UHT or pasteurized product is required.
If you don’t know how to choose the right one, try making a drink with Riobo 3.5% milk or “Molochnaya Rechka” “For cappuccino”, Valio “Otbornoe”.
Before whipping, the product must be cooled to 2-6°C.
If you plan to make cappuccino at home without a coffee machine, take cream - the product is easier to froth.
Preparing cappuccino in a coffee machine
Making cappuccino is quite simple, but you still need to get used to this process.
- First of all, you need to brew a portion of espresso coffee and place it in a sufficiently capacious cup.
- Take a tall jug and pour the required portion of milk. The fattier the milk, the easier the foam will be to whip up.
- Turn on the device and warm it up. A special indicator should notify that the steam in the coffee machine is ready to be supplied. To dump any water that may have formed in the cappuccino maker, turn on the steam supply for a few seconds by moving the steam tap to the side.
- We lower the cappuccino maker into the milk so that the spout reaches almost to the bottom, turn on the device and slowly lift the steamer spout up to whip up the foam. It is on the surface that steam, milk and air combine, resulting in a fluffy mass. When saturated with air, heated milk doubles in volume and acquires a sweet, creamy taste.
- By slightly tilting the container, you can increase the speed and intensity of the bubbling.
- When a sufficient amount of foam has formed, turn off the steam valve.
The correct preparation of the drink is checked as follows: pour a little granulated sugar onto the surface of the foam. If the sugar holds, then the foam is whipped well enough. The coffee temperature for serving should be approximately 60-70 degrees.
If you don’t get foam, then most likely you overheated the milk or you whipped it deeper rather than at the very edge.
Classic drink recipe
Before cooking, stock up on:
- 60 ml espresso;
- 60 ml cold milk for whipping or cream.
Take a ceramic cup with a volume of 180 ml or more. Warm up the dishes with steam, pour in the coffee. Heat the milk to 60-70°C. Froth the liquid using a cappuccino maker until a dense, fine foam forms. Ideally, the surface should be glossy, like glass.
Gently pour the milk into the base. If the technology is followed, the mass will be divided into layers. A mixture of coffee and liquid milk will remain at the bottom, and the foamed part of the latter will remain at the top.
In coffee shops, the ready-made version is often served with cinnamon sprinkles or designs on the “cap,” which become the subject of photos and videos on Instagram and help promote the establishment.
How to make cappuccino at home
It is much more difficult for an amateur to achieve the same taste and aroma as professional baristas. You will need:
- 2 tsp. freshly roasted and freshly ground grains;
- 100 ml water;
- 100 ml milk;
- a Turk and a cup for heating milk;
- French press or mixer.
Place the coffee in a pot, add water, and stir. Place on low heat, wait until a “cap” of foam appears, remove the pan from the heat. When the foam settles, return to the stove. Repeat 2-5 times, achieving the usual taste. Set aside so that the coffee particles settle to the bottom.
Heat the milk until the liquid burns the skin, but do not boil. Whisk hot using a compact whisk or French press, quickly raising and lowering the filter. Pour the coffee into a cup and pour frothed milk on top.
Cappuccino recipe
Cappuccino coffee is a popular national Italian drink that has become widely known throughout the world. A properly prepared drink is very tasty and delicate, and translated from Italian “cappuccino” means “coffee with milk” whipped into a fluffy and thick foam, that is, as it were, coffee with a cap. It is the notorious foam that distinguishes cappuccino from all other types of coffee and makes its taste unique. Let's find out with you how to properly prepare cappuccino at home and surprise all your friends with your unusual abilities.
Classic cappuccino coffee recipe
Ingredients:
- ground coffee – 2 teaspoons;
- granulated sugar – 2 teaspoons;
- water – 100 ml;
- milk – 100 ml;
- grated chocolate - to taste.
Preparation
How to make cappuccino at home? Take a cup, pour in some ground coffee, add sugar to taste and mix everything thoroughly. Next, pour boiling water over the sugar mixture and move on to the most important thing: preparing milk foam for coffee. How to froth milk for cappuccino? To do this, heat the milk until it begins to boil, and then carefully pour it into a blender and beat until a thick and fluffy foam appears. Carefully transfer the foam into the previously prepared coffee using a tablespoon. Grate the chocolate in advance on a coarse grater and sprinkle milk foam on top. That's all, the preparation of cappuccino coffee is finished, and you can start drinking it, receiving true pleasure from the taste and aroma of this drink.
Homemade cinnamon cappuccino recipe
Ingredients:
- ground coffee – 2 teaspoons;
- cream – 50 ml;
- sugar – 1 teaspoon;
- cinnamon - to taste.
Preparation
How to make cappuccino? So, let's look at another way to make cappuccino. First, brew the coffee: pour it into a cezve, fill it with boiled water and put it on low heat. As soon as the coffee foam begins to rise, immediately remove the cezve from the heat and wait a few minutes until everything settles again. Then put the coffee back on low heat and repeat this procedure several times. The main thing is to prevent the coffee from boiling, otherwise it will spoil, become very bitter and you won’t get a real homemade cappuccino.
Let's move on to whipping milk foam; this is not at all difficult, but it will require some experience and skill. The most important thing to remember is that only full-fat milk or cream with a fat content of at least 10% can be whipped well. So, pour milk or cream into a saucepan, put it on low heat and wait about 15 seconds for it to warm up a little. Then take a mixer or blender and begin to beat gradually and slowly. We carefully monitor the appearance of large bubbles on the surface of the foam, and after they disappear, we stop whipping so as not to miss the moment the milk is ready. The next, no less important step in preparing cappuccino is to combine coffee with foam: pour the previously brewed coffee into a cup, then very carefully, using a tablespoon, spread the milk foam on top. Well, that’s almost all, just a little bit remains – to beautifully decorate the prepared coffee. To decorate, pour a little sugar on top of the foam and sprinkle everything with cinnamon.
We have reviewed several options for how to make cappuccino at home and enjoy its divine aroma and fabulous taste. Of course, if you have a special coffee machine at home, then the process of making cappuccino will be much simpler and will become a common thing for you, like just drinking tea for breakfast!
And our coffee latte and frappe recipes will help you continue to improve your coffee making skills.
Enjoy your coffee!
How is cappuccino different from latte?
The main ingredients in latte and cappuccino coffee are similar, but the options have 4 fundamental differences.
- Proportions of coffee and milk in the recipe. Cappuccino is often prepared from equal parts of ingredients. A latte requires one part espresso and two parts milk.
- Taste. Due to the higher espresso content in cappuccino, it has a relatively pronounced coffee taste. Lattes are characterized by delicate, creamy notes.
- Milk foam. The drinks do not differ in the size of the foam cap. However, cappuccino has denser and finer foam, while latte has airy and light foam.
- Serving. A classic cappuccino is served in small round cups. Dishes are most often made from porcelain. The volume does not exceed 180 ml, for a double portion – 360 ml. Lattes are served in clear glass glasses that allow you to see the layers. Utensils usually have a foot and a handle for convenience. Glass volume – 240-360 ml.
The drinks also differ in appearance. Cappuccino has 2 layers: liquid coffee and milk part and foam. Latte is divided into 3 parts: milk, espresso and foam with smooth transitions from one color to another.
Differences between cappuccino and other types of coffee
Cappuccino coffee is very similar to a latte, but is served in smaller cups (180 ml versus 300 ml), contains less milk and more milk foam.
Macchiato (Caffe macchiato) consists only of espresso and milk without foam.
Cortado is a Spanish coffee cocktail that contains espresso and milk in proportions of 1:1 or 1:2; condensed milk is often used instead of fresh milk.
“Flat White” is a cross between a cappuccino and a latte; its characteristic feature is a very thin layer of foam, most often with a pattern.
The benefits and harms of the drink
Drinking cappuccino often has a negative effect on the body:
- causes drowsiness. Milk reduces caffeine concentration. Instead of the expected cheerfulness after a cup, you can get the opposite effect;
- increases the risk of developing stomach cancer. The main components conflict, in combination they neutralize each other’s benefits and form a poorly digestible substance. If you drink frequently and in large portions, part of this mass will “settle” in the stomach;
- blocks the vasodilatory effect of caffeine. If you're hoping to raise your blood pressure with a cup of this drink, you're in vain.
This variety has only one advantage - even those who find espresso too rich and tart will like the taste. The mixture still has strong coffee notes, but the bitterness is masked by the sweetness of the milk.
If you don’t want to harm yourself, choose the right “dosage” – up to a couple of cups per week – or alternate with the classic, undiluted version.
What do you need to make cappuccino coffee?
If you want to get a truly tasty drink, then do not use instant coffee, it will never give such a deep taste as real, ground coffee. However, if you are not a desperate coffee lover and you just want a sweet, creamy drink, then freeze-dried coffee will do. But we will still consider the recipe based on natural grains.
So, you will need:
- Ground coffee (1 full teaspoon is enough for 1 serving).
- Purified, filtered water, without chlorine.
- Turk.
- Milk or cream with a fat content of at least 6%.
- Blender, mixer or, as a last resort, a whisk.
- A couple of glasses, one of which should be deep.
- Sprinkling (grated chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon - everything to your taste).
How to serve and drink correctly
Pour the drink into ceramic cups, preheated by steam. The dish, shaped like a round bowl with a handle, is placed on a saucer and served to the client. In the homeland of the variety, Italy, the drink is considered an ideal addition to the morning meal and is consumed along with breakfast rolls.
It is not easy to cook this variety in an apartment, without special equipment. However, it is not necessary to buy a coffee machine. Start by choosing the right raw materials, familiarize yourself with the technology and find a French press or compact electric whisk.
