Tips to get the perfect microfoam

keith_d99

Hi all,

Have a DeLonghi Bean to Cup machine with a steam wand - get a nice froth most of the time but sometimes it can be watery (thin foam on top, watery hot milk underneath).

From reading around the recommended way seems to be:

Dip the wand just below the surface of cold milk at a slight angle
As the milk starts to warm - lower the wand gradually further into the jug.

Could it be that I am lowering the wand too soon?? Should I just leave the wand just below the surface of the milk??

Any tips for getting the perfect thick foam??
Thanks!
Keith

Sam the Sham

What does your steam wand look like? Can you post a pic?

toddunctious

Ye keep wand below surface and lower jug slowly to create foam

keith_d99

toddunctious wrote: »

Ye keep wand below surface and lower jug slowly to create foam

Lower as the volume is rising?

keith_d99

Sam the Sham wrote: »

What does your steam wand look like? Can you post a pic?

Image attached

Manual says "for a creamier froth, rotate the container with slow movements in an upward direction"

toddunctious

keith_d99 wrote: »

Lower as the volume is rising?

Ye maintain the wand below surface as the volume increases
Theres some vids on YouTube might be some help

Sam the Sham

keith_d99 wrote: »

Image attached

Manual says "for a creamier froth, rotate the container with slow movements in an upward direction"

That looks like it might be a Panarello wand (common on DeLonghis). Does it have an air hole near the top?

If it is a Panarello wand, there are a few of things to be said:

1) give up the idea of getting perfect microfoam of the sort that will allow you to do latte art, etc. Or don't give up but know that it will be extremely difficult.
2) none of the instructions out there on youtube, etc. that assume you're using a "normal" wand found on higher-end machines will be relevant to you.
3) the instructions that came with the machine will also be useless.

Panarello wands (like the pressurised portafilters in a lot of DeLonghi machines) are designed to be idiot-proof. In the case of the wand, an idiot-proof way of making cappucino foam. The air is fed from the hole in the side of the want into the milk creating lots of bubbles without a need to surf or anything else. In fact, if you surf, you'll make bubbles that are way too big.

So in order to make something approaching microfoam, you're going to have to ignore all the instructions (which generally say: "never cover the hole") and do this:

1) After clearing the wand of any water in it (blast it into a cup for a few seconds), stick it deep enough that the steam end is well below the surface but not so deep that the air hole is covered up. Do this only for the time it takes to stretch the milk a bit (maybe 5-10 seconds).
2) After that, put the wand in as far as you can so as to cover the airhole with milk. You may have to angle your jug for this. Ideally, you want to also have the want positioned in such a way that you get a kind of whirlpool in the jug that will break up the bubbles.

Here's a video that shows basically how to do it (although I think he waits too long to cover the hole and his foam doesn't look that great as a result):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocjpPcMApNI

Here's [URL="http://blog.seattlecoffeegear.com/2010/04/27/ask-the-experts-whats-a-panarello/]an explanation[/URL].

If you don't have an airhole in the side of your wand: never mind!:)

I'm the unhappy owner of a DeLonghi with Panarello wand, hoping to save enough money for a real machine...

Glebee

Ive just got the same machine and am finding that just dipping the wand under the milk and letting it do its work without moving the jug gives a fairly good, thick, smooth foam with no bubbles. Im very happy with the quality of the lattes its able to produce. Double shot of espresso and top up with the steamed milk and it allows me to try and make a design on the top. They look and taste very good anyways...

keith_d99

Thanks for the replies lads - don't think it's a panarello wand Sam the sham - can't find any hole at the side - maybe that's a good thing

Think I was putting the wand too close to the side or end of the jug - as I was getting a screaming sound (lack of air apparently)
Keeping the wand just off centre and about 1xm below the surface of the milk seems to be doing the trick

Had stopped using the thermometer too - since I am using it again I am getting a much better taste off the froth - must have been burning the milk!