Cappuccino Recipe

Prepare equipment

Warm the espresso cup or cappuccino cup by rinsing with hot water. Ensure your espresso machine portafilter and basket are clean and dry.

Dose and tamp

Weigh 18 g of freshly ground espresso coffee and distribute evenly in a 18–20 g double-shot portafilter basket. Level the grounds and tamp with ~30 lb (13 kg) of pressure to create a smooth, even puck.

Pull the shot

Lock the portafilter into the machine. Brew using about 60 ml of water for a 25–30 second extraction (adjust time to taste). Aim for a rich, syrupy 1:2 espresso yield (18 g in → ~36 g out as beverage mass) or roughly 60 ml volume including crema. Pour the espresso into the warmed cup and set aside while steaming milk.

Prepare milk and pitcher

Pour 150 ml whole milk into a metal steaming pitcher. If you want more foam volume, add the optional 30 ml cold milk. Chill milk first for best microfoam control.

Purge steam wand

Purge the steam wand for 1–2 seconds to remove condensation, then wipe it clean with a damp cloth.

Stretch and texturize

Submerge the steam tip just below the milk surface and open the steam valve to introduce air. For cappuccino, incorporate more air than a latte: stretch for 3–6 seconds until volume increases ~20–30% and you hear a light hissing. Then fully submerge the tip to create vortex for 5–10 seconds to heat and cell-structure the foam. Target milk temperature 60–65°C (140–149°F) using a thermometer or by touch (pitcher becomes too hot to hold for more than a couple seconds).

Texture and clean

Turn off steam, wipe wand with a damp cloth and purge briefly. Tap the pitcher on the counter and swirl to remove large bubbles and integrate foam into silky microfoam. The foam for cappuccino should be thick and velvety, with clearly visible body (about 1–1.5 cm foam layer).

Pouring

Hold the cup with the espresso at a slight angle. Begin pouring milk from about 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) high to sink liquid milk beneath crema, then lower the pitcher and pour more slowly to allow thick foam to rise to the top. Finish with a small wiggle or controlled lift to create a rounded foam dome. Aim for ~150 ml total beverage with ~1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, 1/3 foam.

Sweeten and garnish

If desired, stir in up to 1 tsp sugar into the espresso before pouring the milk for even dissolution. Sprinkle 1 tsp cocoa powder or ground cinnamon on top of the foam for garnish.