Cappuccino without a coffee machine: prepare a delicious drink at home

Cappuccino is an Italian espresso-based coffee drink. The classic version includes a double portion of black coffee, hot milk and thick milk foam, but some baristas use cream instead of the last two ingredients, and also add cinnamon, chocolate chips, and orange zest to the drink.

Cappuccino has a mild taste with a slight coffee bitterness. If everything is done correctly, the drink should turn out sweet even without adding sugar (due to the fatty milk foamed by the cappuccino maker).

Interesting fact: despite the apparent simplicity of the recipe, making cappuccino is quite difficult. At international barista and coffee competitions, masters often compete in preparing this particular drink.

Story

The name “cappuccino” comes from the Capuchin Order, as the color of the drink resembles the beige-brown robes of the holy brothers. The very word cappucio (Latin: Caputium) is translated from Italian as “hood” - an indispensable attribute of the daily attire of the servants of the order.

Capuchin in a hood drinks cappuccino

The term “cappuccino” first appeared in Italian in 1930, but a similar drink, Kapuziner, existed in Austria back in the 18th century. Then it consisted of coffee, sugar, cream and egg yolks (although it is not known in what proportions). At that time, Italy was under Austrian rule; during the division of countries, cappuccino “changed his citizenship” to Italian.

Fresh milk began to be used instead of cream in the 20th century, when refrigerators appeared. Until the 1950s, the term “cappuccino” meant quite a variety of drinks (with milk or cream, with or without spices), but with the spread of coffee machines, the term was consolidated in its modern meaning.

Ingredients

To prepare the drink, use hot water, but never boiling water. 1 tablespoon without a slide contains 6 g of instant coffee, with a slide - 9-10 g. It is better to take milk that is fattier, then it will form a more beautiful foam.

We will need:

• 1 tbsp. instant coffee;
• a little less than 1/2 cup of water;
• 1/2 cup milk;
• sugar to taste.

Characteristics of cappuccino

Attention! The figures and proportions given are arbitrary: every good barista has his own recipe, which may differ significantly from the classic one.
In the USA, skim milk is often used; other baristas, on the contrary, prefer 11% cream; there is also the half'n'half option - a mixture of cream and milk.

In Turk

You can make cappuccino at home in a Turkish coffee machine, although the taste will, of course, differ from the original one prepared in a coffee machine. For a quality product, you will have to be patient and repeat all the described steps exactly.

Composition of ingredients

Food set for 1 serving:

• filtered water – 100 ml;
• ground coffee – 1.5 tsp;
• pasteurized milk – 50 ml.

What can be added and changed in the composition

You can add cinnamon to taste, as well as your favorite syrup (no more than 10 ml), or an alcoholic drink (for example, cognac).

Step-by-step cooking process

Step-by-step preparation:

1. You should start by preparing espresso, which will be 2/3 of the cappuccino. To do this, you need to pour cold water into a clean Turk, which must be filtered in advance to get rid of unnecessary tastes, among which, for example, chlorine is often found.
2. Now you need to pour in freshly ground coffee beans, stir gently and set on low heat.
3. The contents must be heated without leaving the stove, and wait until foam appears on the surface, without bringing to a boil.

4. Next, the Turk should be removed from the heat for literally 1 minute, during which the foam should settle. The procedure must be repeated at least 4 times and set aside.
5. Now you need to heat the cold milk to 60°C. Many people simply wait for the moment when foam just begins to form on the surface and it becomes difficult to touch the dishes.
6. It is at this moment that you need to start whisking the milk using a whisk, mixer or immersion blender until a stable, homogeneous “cap” is formed. It is easy to check the correctness of the procedure - you should take a teaspoon and turn it on its side.

Decoration and serving rules

Before serving, be sure to heat the cup over steam or pour boiling water over it, and then pour espresso, and gently warm milk on top. The decoration will be foam, with which you can make a pattern on the surface.

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.

Description of preparation

When planning your cappuccino, decide how much milk you will use. Coffee lovers have differing opinions on this matter. Some believe that coffee and milk base should be present in equal amounts. Others are inclined to believe that coffee, milk and milk froth should be taken equally.

The cooking technology consists of the following steps:

1. A combination of instant coffee, hot water and granulated sugar.
2. Beating with a fork or blender.
3. Warming milk.
4. Mixing coffee base with milk.

Milk foam can be replaced with prepared whipped cream.

Classic cappuccino recipe

Traditional proportions of coffee, milk and foam are 1:1:1.

Modern cappuccino is prepared in a coffee machine. First, a double portion of espresso is poured into a coffee glass, then the same amount of hot milk is added, and the composition is crowned with a lush head of milk foam. Another option is also common: the milk is not poured separately, but simply whipped up more foam, so that it not only settles on the drink in a voluminous cap, but also partially dissolves in it.

Ingredients:

• coffee (espresso) – 60 ml;
• milk – 60 ml;
• sugar - to taste.

Cooking technology

1. Pour a double shot of espresso (60 ml) into a tall coffee glass or cup with a minimum volume of 180 ml that has been preheated with steam.

2. Heat the milk to 60-70 °C, then beat it with a cappuccino maker, whisk or mixer into a fine foam until the volume doubles.

3. Holding the foam with a spoon, add milk to the espresso, sweeten with sugar if desired and stir. Place foam on top.

A cappuccino maker is a thin metal tube through which steam is supplied under high pressure. Milk frothed in this way acquires a sweetish taste and a particularly delicate structure due to microscopic bubbles.

Manual electric cappuccino maker. Many coffee machines have a separate unit for frothing milk.

Alternative recipe. Kapuziner – served in old Viennese cafes, black coffee with a few drops of heavy cream, just to get the right color.

Useful tips

Making cappuccino at home is not as easy as it seems, because deviation from the described processes can not only harm the taste and aroma, but also completely ruin the drink.

Below are recommendations from baristas that will help you make good coffee and even improve its quality:

• If you don’t have a coffee machine at home, then you should start by choosing a compact electric whisk, a French press and high-quality raw materials.
• It’s easy to identify a high-quality cappuccino - when drinking coffee, the foam should be above your upper lip.
• The almond, caramel drink got its name thanks to the syrup, which is always poured between the layers.
• You can add a piece of chocolate to the bottom of your coffee or sprinkle it over the cream by grinding it on the fine side of the grater.

• During the hot season, you can pour crushed ice into a mug and serve it cold.
• The most popular drink is sprinkled with cinnamon. But the taste is not inferior to a mug of cream decorated with cocoa powder.
• The thicker the walls of the container and it is well heated, the longer the coffee will remain warm.
• The easiest way to draw on a surface is to use a stencil, which you place on a mug and sprinkle with cinnamon and cocoa powder. You can practice or draw a more complex composition using a toothpick or the method of pouring whipped cream (thin or thick stream).
• Making cappuccino at home is necessary to serve not during meals, but after, as it is a rather heavy drink. It would be good form if you place a plate of fresh pastries next to the mug.

Making cappuccino without a coffee machine at home

There are two methods:

1. In the microwave. First, a glass of milk is heated in the microwave at maximum power until small bubbles appear on it (on average this takes less than a minute). It is important to ensure that the liquid does not “run away”. Then beat the hot milk with a whisk or mixer, successively transferring the foam to another cup. When about half of the milk turns into foam, brew a double portion of espresso, pour the remaining milk into it, and spread the foam on top.
2. Manually. Coffee is brewed in a Turkish coffee pot or brewed in a French press, and hot milk is whisked. Then all the ingredients are added to the cup.

Cappuccino made in the microwave

Drawing latte art from foam

Surely you have had the opportunity to watch how, when preparing coffee, a barista “conjures” a cup of cappuccino, depicting various patterns.
This technique is called “latte art,” and even those who have never tried to decorate coffee with drawings can master it. To begin with, you can use special stencils. By sprinkling coffee with grated chocolate or cinnamon through a stencil, you can make the drink not only more tasty and aromatic, but also give it a delightful appearance. But learning to draw on coffee using cream is a little more difficult. However, after watching several photo and video master classes, you can easily master this art. Cappuccino is a delicate coffee-based drink with a pronounced milky taste and pleasant sweetness. Prepared more than 5 centuries ago, it pleases coffee lovers with a variety of preparation options. It is especially appreciated because, if you have the ingredients, cappuccino can be easily prepared at home, giving yourself moments of joy and delight.

Types of cappuccino

In addition to the traditional recipe, there are some other variations:

• Latte Art is a regular cappuccino drink, but with a pattern on the milk foam. Some baristas achieve such perfection in this art that they can even paint a portrait of a guest.
• Wet cappuccino (“wet” cappuccino) is a cocktail in which the ratio of coffee, milk and foam is shifted in favor of milk.
• Dry cappuccino (“dry” cappuccino) is the opposite of the previous option; this recipe contains less milk than other ingredients (there may be more or the same amount of foam).
• Iced cappuccino (cappuccino with ice) – in a blender, beat chilled black coffee and milk (1:2 ratio), ice cubes, sugar to taste. You can also add syrup and/or spices, or replace the milk with cream (partially or completely).
• Cappuccino Freddo (cold cappuccino) - prepared like a regular cappuccino, only all ingredients must be cold, including frothed milk.
• Babyccino is frothed milk without coffee (and therefore decaffeinated), often served with syrup.

With egg foam

Making cappuccino at home with new additions is a favorite thing for gourmets who like to experiment from time to time. People have been trying to make this kind of coffee for a long time with yolks or raw eggs, replacing the fluffy “cap” in the mug. The aromatic and viscous foam in this drink will resemble custard due to hot tempering, where the mass only thickens and does not curdle. Please note that low-fat cream is needed here.

Composition of ingredients

Ingredients for 1 large serving:

• filtered water – 120 ml;
• ground coffee – 1 tsp;
• yolk – 1 pc.;
• vanilla sugar – 1 tsp;
• cream 10% – 100 ml.

What can be added and changed in the composition

If you don’t have vanilla sugar on hand, you can make it yourself by mixing sweet crystals with vanilla powder to taste. Additional flavors are rarely used in this recipe.

Step-by-step cooking process

Step-by-step instruction:

1. You should start preparing by brewing espresso in the usual way for home cooking. To do this, you need to mix ground coffee with cold, purified water and heat until foam forms on the surface 4-5 times, each time removing the coffee pot from the stove.
2. Putting the finished drink aside for now, you need to pour the cream into an enamel cup, place it on the stove and heat it only to 60 ° C (when it is difficult to touch the dishes) and beat using a French press or mixer until a stable foam.

All that remains is to prepare the egg base, for which you must first mix the yolk with vanilla sugar by hand, and then beat the mass. It will be ideal if it turns out to be light and quite fluffy.

Decoration and serving rules

Before serving, be sure to warm up the cup using a microwave or steam, and then pour espresso into it through a strainer, then add cream, and pour whipped yolk on top of it.

In this recipe, for the sake of beauty, it is allowed to use glass utensils instead of ceramic ones, so that the multi-layered nature of the drink can be better seen.

How to serve and drink cappuccino

In continental Europe, cappuccino is traditionally drunk in the morning, mainly at breakfast, with a croissant, white toast or other pastries. In Italy, it is even considered bad manners to drink this coffee cocktail after 11 o’clock in the afternoon and/or have something substantial, like meat or a hot dish - with all the Italians’ love for coffee, they prefer espresso after lunch.

Americans drink cappuccino throughout the day and are not averse to finishing off a hearty meal with it.

As already mentioned, a classic cappuccino is served in a preheated coffee glass or porcelain cup with a volume of 150-180 ml, but in fast foods and coffee shops like Starbucks there are portions up to 600 ml in volume.

Portrait on a cup of cappuccino, it’s even a pity to drink this

A cup of cappuccino without leaving home

You can enjoy the delicious taste in a coffee shop, since they are found in almost every city. And each will offer a cup of coffee nectar, created according to a classic recipe or according to its own development.

But for this you need to get dressed, and the girls also need to put on makeup, go somewhere or get there. And such cafes do not work around the clock. It is unlikely that you can buy a cup of this noble drink early in the morning, and what you can get is not worthy of being called “cappuccino”.

A coffee machine will help. The device will brew excellent coffee in just a few minutes, which you can enjoy right in bed. If the device has not yet been added to the collection of household appliances in the kitchen, you can brew a strong drink yourself. And gain great pleasure from the process of creating a delicious liquid treat.