Crema’s free cappuccino recipe uses 40 ml of espresso and 120 ml of milk for one serving. Preparing the milk before you begin means measuring the ingredient and having a clean jug ready. It does not necessarily mean frothing before making the coffee. The working sequence depends on your equipment.
Measure milk before frothing
The 120 ml refers to the liquid milk you start with. It is not the volume of the finished foam or the capacity of the whole drink. Use a clear measuring vessel. If your jug has markings, check that they include this quantity. A maximum fill line is not a recommendation for how much milk this recipe needs.
Have cold milk and a clean jug ready
The recipe recommends cold milk and a clean jug. Prepare both, along with the cup, before brewing espresso. Choose a vessel that respects the minimum and maximum quantities in your frother’s instructions. Milk needs room during frothing; do not choose an undersized vessel just because the initial 120 ml fits inside it.
Plan coffee and milk around your equipment
If the espresso machine and frother are separate, set up both before starting. If one machine needs to switch between coffee and steam, follow its instructions. The aim is to bring the components together without searching for equipment at the last moment. The recipe calls for 40 ml of espresso; do not automatically treat that volume as a 40 g extraction yield.
Look for texture, not the tallest foam
Crema’s starting point is milk at about 55–60°C with fine, glossy foam. Do not boil the milk. This recipe suggests introducing slightly more air than for a flat white to create a soft foam cap about 1–2 cm deep. These are guidelines for this recipe, not a guaranteed result from every device. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your steam wand or frother.
Swirl the jug and bring the components together
Once the milk is prepared, swirl the jug and pour gently into the espresso, following the recipe steps. There is no need to reproduce a pattern from the picture: Crema’s photograph is a serving illustration. Taste before adding extra sweetness and serve while the texture is fresh.
Change one thing on the next attempt
Note the milk, quantity and frothing method you used. For a plant drink, Crema’s tip suggests a barista version usually produces finer foam, but the result depends on the product and equipment. Change only one element next time so you can compare the result. The full free recipe below includes the ingredients, equipment and complete preparation steps.