Cappuccino Recipe

Preheat and dose

Turn on and flush the espresso machine so it's at stable brewing temperature. Preheat the portafilter by locking it in and running a blank shot for a few seconds, then dry it. Weigh 18 g of freshly ground espresso into the portafilter basket.

Tamp

Distribute the grounds evenly, then tamp with 20–30 lbs of pressure to create a level puck. Wipe any loose grounds from the rim.

Brew

Lock the portafilter into the group head and start the shot. Aim for a 25–35 second extraction to yield about 40 ml of espresso (a standard double). Monitor the flow: it should look like warm honey, thinning to a steady stream. Stop the shot at ~40 ml.

Prepare equipment and milk

Use a chilled stainless-steel milk pitcher (200–350 ml). Pour 150 ml whole milk into the pitcher. Purge the steam wand briefly to remove condensation.

Texturing milk

Position the steam wand just below the milk surface at a slight angle so it introduces air for the first 2–4 seconds (you should hear a gentle ‘paper tearing’ or light hiss). Then fully submerge the tip slightly deeper to create a whirlpool and heat the milk until the pitcher feels warm to the touch (target temperature 60–65°C / 140–150°F). Aim for microfoam — smooth, velvety, small-bubbled foam — with about 1–1.5 cm of foam thickness for a cappuccino.

Polish milk

Tap the pitcher firmly on the counter once to remove larger bubbles and swirl the milk to integrate foam and liquid into a glossy, pourable texture. If you need slightly more foam for presentation, add up to an extra 20 ml of milk textured the same way.

Pour the espresso into a preheated 150–180 ml cappuccino cup. Immediately pour the textured milk into the center of the espresso with a steady stream, starting higher to incorporate the milk, then lower the pitcher and slow the pour as you create foam on top. Stop pouring when the cup is filled with roughly equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam (classic cappuccino ratio).

Finish and garnish: If desired, dust the foam with cocoa powder or ground cinnamon (about 1 tsp) and add sugar to taste. Serve immediately.