Cappuccino is one of those perfect types of coffee – frothy yet dark; tasty yet strong. It’s not as harsh as an espresso, yet stronger than a flat white, so pretty much the perfect cup of coffee.
You may be wondering, if you don’t have an espresso machine, how to make a cappuccino without an espresso machine – this is certainly possible!
It may be a little more tricky, but you can definitely still create your favourite cuppa without resorting to machinery.
Do You Need An Espresso Machine To Make Cappuccino?
The answer to this one is a resounding No! Obviously, your cappuccino will be better if you use a dedicated machine -but you don’t need one.
The three main components of cappuccino are:
- Espresso coffee
- Hot milk
- Milk foam
As long as these three elements are present, you can create a delicious cappuccino all by yourself, without needing a machine.
- Start by preparing the coffee. It should be strong, freshly brewed espresso type coffee for the best results.
- Steam your milk by filling a jar with your chosen milk (normal cow’s milk works best, but you can substitute other milks too).
- Shake the jar vigorously until the milk starts to look frothy, about 30 seconds.
- Remove the lid a place the jar into the microwave and heat on full power. Remove it from the microwave and add to your coffee.
- If you want to froth the milk on the top like a coffee shop, there are a lot of things you can do:
- Heat milk on the hob in a small pan until it froths up (keep an eye on it though, this happens very quickly!)
- Use a frother. This is a small, hand held battery operated whisker, which you simply insert into your milk and froth until it is your desired consistency.
- Whisk the milk thoroughly with a hand held whisk, in a small pan on the stove.
And there you have it! It is very easy to make cappuccino even without a machine, and it has the added bonus of being considerably cheaper than a coffee you buy from a coffee shop.
You can add sugar to taste, and make this with just about any milk or substitute you like, though soya can be hard to froth up.
It is also perfectly possible to make cappuccino with decaf coffee, so if you are limiting your caffeine intake then simply substitute the version without caffeine.
How Do You Make Cappuccino With Instant Coffee?
You don’t need fancy coffee to make your cappuccino, you can make it using your standard coffee powder.
- Make your instant coffee by placing 1-2 teaspoons of coffee powder into a cup, and filling it with boiling water.
- Heat milk in a small saucepan on the stove until it boils. Place the hot milk in a jar and shake it vigorously until it froths.
- Add sugar to your taste
You know those pre made packets of cappuccino you can buy? They are also made with instant coffee!
If you can’t be bothered with frothing your own milk, you can just buy a premade packet, and still enjoy your tastiest beverage.
This short video will show you how to make a simple cappuccino from instant coffee:
Which Coffee Powder Is Best For Cappuccino?
You can make cappuccino with just about any instant coffee powder, so the best thing you can do is pick your favourite!
That being said, there are a great amount of instant coffees out there, so it may be worth shopping around in case you find a new favourite.
A great many manufacturers are now branching out into flavoured coffee powders, which can range from coconut to toffee to everything in between! Mint cappuccino, anyone?
There are a lot of coffee powders that mimic the taste of barista coffee, so if you like your cappuccino to taste like you have bought it from a shop then go for one of these.
If you are a fan of decaf coffee, you can find a lot of these ones around too, and they will still make a great cup of coffee – just minus the caffeine.
One thing you should definitely do is find a fairtrade coffee. This means that the beans were grown in good conditions, and the workers are all well treated.
As you can see, you don’t need a coffee machine or to spend your savings at the coffee bar to enjoy a great cappuccino!
How Do You Steam Milk Without A Machine?
Steaming milk is actually a lot easier than you might imagine, and you don’t need the fancy attachments of a coffee machine to do so.
All the following methods are simple and easy, and will produce results that are almost as good as the ones produced by fancy equipment:
- Steaming on the hob. Place the amount of milk you want to stem in a small pan and place on the hob. Whisk as it heats, and you will be rewarded with delicious frothy milk.
- Steaming in a microwave. Place the milk into a jar, put the id on and shake it vigorously. Remove the lid and put the jar in the microwave on full power for 30 seconds.
- Steaming with a cafetiere. Heat up your milk, either on the stove or in the microwave. Pour it into a clean cafetiere, and plunge the plunger up and down until the milk starts to froth.
- Steaming with a whisk. Heat up the milk, the take a hand held whisk and beat the milk vigorously until it starts to froth.
This useful article shows you the different ways you can steam milk without a machine.
Once you know how to make cappuccino without an espresso maker, you might as well set up a coffee shop out the front of your house. Seriously, it’s this good!
Making cappuccino without having to rely on a machine, or running off to the local cafe, is a great thing. Now you know how, enjoy it to the max!
