GaryatGala wrote:
Keep it up guys :thumb: A couple of important steps when preparing for latte art. Heat the milk to only 55 to 60 degrees celcius rather than 65. You will find it easier for the milk to pour out. The hotter the milk, the "stiffer" it will be. Get the stretching over as soon as possible and maximise/spend more time the texturing phase. Stretch, incorporating air and hear the paper ripping noise for a couple of seconds, or a couple of gulps will do, then start texturing asap with the steam tip just below the surface while doing the whirlpool til 55 degrees C.
Cheers Gary some great tips there! Have definitely been only adding air for a short time at the start and spending majority in texturing/whirlpooling. I've progressed alot, but feel there's room for improvement. Where do you find is best for steamtip position in the whirlpool phase? I generally keep mine in the same position roughly for both phases, which is just off center. So not directly in the centre but just off to the right, so the steam is pushing the milk in a clockwise direction, but forming a really tight whirlpool in the centre. And obviously the tip just below the surface. Just have seen people have the tip right at the edge of the milk jug, which when I try that it just tends to spin the milk and move it round rather than whirlpool it and force bubbles under the surface to be incorporated.. With the way I do it it still comes out really nice, but in doing tulips they don't do that nice big curl around that I see (the nice big C-shape arcing), only maybe the first bit does that but it doesn't continue. And rosettas don't have those hollow leaves. I definitely started adding less air so it isn't so thick which made a big difference so far, just wondering where else to work on... perhaps not as hot might be an option (which I haven't tried)! And pour as well but it doesn't feel like it's that in this case.. Perhaps experimenting with adding even less air, but it already is 'latte' amount.. hmm..
