How to Steam Oat Milk
The quality of foam in your latte depends heavily on how the milk is steamed, and some types of milk work better than others. For years, many baristas avoided plant-based milks due to the fact that they didn’t steam as well as dairy milk. Recently, barista-focused oat milk entered the scene as an immediate game changer. Oat milk is mild and savory, but also has a level of natural sweetness comparable to high-fat cow’s milk.
What Makes Willa’s Barista Oat Milk Unique
You'll never find inflammatory rapeseed or canola oils, in Willa's Barista Oat Milk. Our team has built our recipe around an entirely different approach to create an oat milk that steams beautifully with the whole entire oat, and the cleanest ingredient list out there. Using the whole oat, also means Willa's has less oat sugar and retains all of the protein and fiber. For more on the ingredients found in most oat milks, check out our post How Do I Know What's in My Oat Milk?
Note that Willa's Unsweetened Original Oat Milk and Willa's Dark Chocolate Oat Milk are not formulated to steam to create latte art or cappuccino foam. Though, they still pour beautifully and taste delicious in coffee!
How to Steam Barista Oat Milk
The technique of steaming oat milk is very similar to steaming dairy milk. First, you want to introduce air to the milk with the steam wand tip just below the surface for just a couple of seconds. This aerates the milk, which creates the foam needed for lattes or cappuccinos.
Next, you want to submerge the steam wand a couple inches below the surface of the milk to create a swirling whirlpool. This helps distribute the air evenly throughout the contents of your pitcher and reduces the visible bubbles on the surface of the milk, leaving you with perfect microfoam.
Once the milk has reached the proper temperature (roughly as hot as you can comfortable leave your palm on the pitcher until), remove the pitcher from the wand and tap out any remaining bubbles. Before pouring the milk give it a little swirl with swift wrist movements to even out its consistency. Finally, you are able to pour your creamy concoction.
Oat milk is the latest craze for a reason - it’s rich, creamy, and the taste is like a blank canvas in coffee. As a bonus, it isn’t just dairy-free, but also gluten-free, nut-free, and produced more sustainably than other milk alternatives.
With a little practice, you’ll be steaming oat milk like a pro!
Shop Willa's Barista Oat Milk!
For more about what's in your oat milk and which ingredients to look for, check out our posts How Do I know What's in My Oat Milk?, How Much Sugar is in My Oat Milk?, Why Is There Oil in Some Oat Milks? and What is Barista Oat Milk?
For more about what makes oat milk using the entire whole oat different, check out our post What Makes Whole Grain Oat Milk Healthier?
For at home recipes with oat milk, from coffee drinks to dairy free baking, check out our Oat Milk Recipes.
