Dairy milk
Skimmed milk
Produces the most foam and the driest foam — the classic stiff cappuccino cap, and a difficult milk for latte art.
- Type
- Dairy
- Composition
- Essentially the protein without the fat.
- Texture when steamed
- Stiff, dry and clearly layered. It will hold a spoon-shape on the surface, which is a fair description of both its appeal and its limitation.
- Temperature
- Overheating shows very quickly as large, brittle bubbles because there is no fat to smooth them.
What it is like to work with
With almost no fat to interfere, skimmed milk's proteins form a large volume of foam very readily. The result is stiff and dry: it sits on the coffee as a distinct meringue-like layer rather than folding into it. That is exactly right for one style of cappuccino and exactly wrong for a flat white or for pouring a pattern. It is worth knowing which of those you are aiming for before blaming your technique.
How it behaves in the jug
Foaming and holding that foam are different properties, and a milk can be good at one and poor at the other. Ratings are coarse on purpose — the note beside each one carries the actual claim.
Foams
ReadilyFoams very easily, often more than intended.
Holds its foam
ModeratelyThe foam holds its shape but is dry rather than integrated, and the liquid beneath separates from it quickly.
Splitting against espresso
Low riskNot prone to splitting; the failure mode is texture, not separation.
Latte art
PoorlyFoam this dry sits on top rather than flowing with the pour, so patterns tend to arrive as a pale blob.
Allergens and labelling
Contains dairy and lactose.
Stated as a fact about the product, not as advice. Anyone managing a diagnosed allergy should follow guidance from their own healthcare provider.
How to handle it
When it goes wrong
Drinks it suits
Where this milk is commonly used, which is not a claim that it is the only option.