How to Steam Milk

How do I steam milk?

This again is very easy and very difficult at the same time. You start injecting air into the milk at the beginning until foamy enough. Then raise the milk jug until the steam wand tip is fully submerged and keep swirling it until you feel the milk is hot enough. That is it, every time. But because the milk does not clearly tell you when it is foamy enough, it takes a lot of time and practice. After some time you get a feeling for when the milk has expanded enough.

If you then aim for latte art (which of course we will), it is another layer of difficulty. Milk steaming is the same, but pouring is very fragile and sensitive to the steamed milk. The most common error probably is to not pour strongly enough. With experience you kind of adjust your pouring while pouring. Watch some videos and try yourself. This only becomes easy after a very long time. But you will get there.

Cold water and a drop of dishwasher detergent can be used instead of milk for training. It takes away the fear of wasting too much milk.