I generally use 2% in my lattes as it is what we keep in the fridge. In steaming milk, the amount of proteins in the milk can make a huge difference in the type of foam you get but what about an electric milk frother? The temperatures are lower than when steaming milk and it is turning for longer, so what type of milk works best?
I tried 1% (skim/low fat) and 2% (semi skim) milk from Sealtest and 3.25% (full fat/whole milk or homogenized) milk from Hewitts. One of the most important things is that your milk is fresh. Fresher milk always froths better than milk that has been open for a few days.
For each tea latte test, I used 3 perfect spoons of a tea I know makes a good latte with no ingredients that can dissolve or curdle the milk. Then frothed 1/2 cup of milk in my Chef’s Star milk frother.
How well does 3.25% or full fat milk froth for lattes?
To be fair to the testing, the 3.25% was already open while the others were opened just for the latte test. I got some thick and creamy foam with nice peaks that lasted the whole cup even after adding sprinkles along with some nice warm milk to mix with the tea. I am pretty sure that a fresher carton of milk would have made more foam and less milk below it. Sometimes with higher fat milks, they become thick quickly and don’t turn well for the full time the frother runs.
How well does 2% or semi skimmed milk froth for lattes?
We buy 2% milk regularly so it is what we use for lattes but in my opinion, it is also the best milk for tea lattes. You get nice creamy froth and a lot of it. The foam is not quite as thick as with the higher fat milk but the same creamy taste and holds up to sprinkles, even heavier ones. The foam lasts through the cup but also dissolves into the tea a bit where the stiffer 3.25% stayed in peaks on top. It doesn’t have as much “milk flavour” as full fat milks so doesn’t overwhelm the tea either. You also save around 15 calories per latte. Not huge, but adds up.
How well does 1% or skimmed milk froth for lattes?
Milk needs a bit of fat to froth well so skim milk isn’t ideal. 1% milk give you a light airy foam but much of it turns back into milk. It just doesn’t hold the froth consistency as well. If you prefer a light froth to creamy peaks though, 1% may be your preferred milk. It held light sprinkles but heavier ones just fell through the foamed milk.
You get a lot of milk mixed in with the tea, so be sure to use a fair amount of tea leaves if you are using 1%. For only 15 calories less than 2% and 30 less than whole milk, it just isn’t worth it for me as lattes are a treat but if you drink multiples per day and want to watch those calories, it does froth.
What kind of milk do you use for lattes?
Looking for a great non dairy choice for tea lattes? So Nice Barista Blend is the best I have tried so far, see it in action here.