PDA

View Full Version : Steaming soy milk for latte



Pages : [1] 2

amritab@yahoo.com
May 31st, 2004, 03:49 PM
I have never been to a Starbucks before..I met a friend there on Saturday and had a soy chai latte/ Loved it. How can I make the foam with soy milk at home? I asked them specifically if it had any milk and they said none. They mentioned that they used a special silk soy milk. Anyone here with experience steaming and frothing soy milk? Thanks!

Aristarchus
May 31st, 2004, 04:21 PM
Starbucks is able to get an amazing head of foam on their soy lattes. I had not really thought about how do they do it before. They use a box of silksoy that I don't think I have seen on the grocery shelf. Maybe we should ask to check their label? They used to use westsoy. I thought it tasted better but it did not get that foamy head like the silk does. Humm.

Aristarchus
May 31st, 2004, 04:26 PM
BTW... in answer to the basic question, you need a steamer like you would find on an espresso machine. The steamer attachment on my little garage sale espresso maker seems to do fine. A thermometer is also helpful, you are basically foaming the milk with steam until it comes to temperature.

Ari... who loves the foamy yum of steamed Chai also.

Pooh
May 31st, 2004, 04:45 PM
Chai - do you mean, Indian style, but without soy milk instead of cows milk? Is that any good?

amritab@yahoo.com
Jun 1st, 2004, 04:14 PM
Yes, indian style chai late with soy milk and soy milk foam.. it was great. Their web site (Starbucks) speaks highly of silk. But I recently discovered something about soy with carageenan being a health hazard. One side of me says I do so well on most of my stuff anyways, why should I bother with this one thing, esp since I am addicted to silk. Thanks for the tips guys.

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/silk.asp

lolakey
Aug 10th, 2004, 02:25 AM
How can I make the foam with soy milk at home? I asked them specifically if it had any milk and they said none. They mentioned that they used a special silk soy milk. Anyone here with experience steaming and frothing soy milk? Thanks!
I have a frother that is similar to a french press. I put warm soy milk with a little touch of oil (least flavorful oil and only a couple drops) and pump the frother. I can get a huge head of froth doing it that way. I even make my hot chocolate that way. The same goes when I make home made soy ice cream - - I have to add a little bit of oil. It works like a charm.

Here's a link to a picture of the type of frother I have http://www.kitchen--shop.com/Bodum-Bodum-Chambord-Milk-Frother.asp

amritab@yahoo.com
Aug 10th, 2004, 04:21 PM
Lolakey -
thanks for the tip. the oil would make sense since th4e reason cow milk typically steams better is because of the fat. what type of oil do you use now? I love Bodum products and would love to use it. I alsor ecently bought an ice cream maker, mainly for hubby and to make sorbets for myself..I do love soy delicious ice cream and would love to make my own non dairy ice creams. Any good web sites or books? I think I got some recipes from vegsource web site. someone posted articles using potato starch and doy protein powder as thickeners.

cast_the_flames
Aug 11th, 2004, 06:43 AM
if you have an esspresso machine, you put the soy milk in a metal cup, about halfway full. you put the steamer right below the surface and swirl it a bit. you make it just lke regular steamed milk, but with soy. it takes a little practice.

lolakey
Aug 11th, 2004, 01:54 PM
Right now the least flavorful oil in my cabinet is corn oil. It works well.

I make soy ice cream in a bag by putting soy milk, oil, sugar and what ever else I can into a sealed baggie. Put that baggie into a bigger sealed baggie with ice and salt and shake for 10 minutes.

An ice cream maker would be fun. Maybe when I stop moving around so much I'll buy one.

onion
Aug 3rd, 2005, 10:58 PM
Hello...

Just wanted to say that you might want to check out the chai latte formula they use for their lattes. I was drinking the Starbucks chai lattes with soy milk for awhile, only to discover that the chai latte packets they sell (the powder used to make the chai lattes, prob. the very same stuff they make when they serve it to you over the counter) is made with skim milk powder and some other dairy ingredient, i think.

tails4wagging
Aug 5th, 2005, 06:28 AM
Hello...

Just wanted to say that you might want to check out the chai latte formula they use for their lattes. I was drinking the Starbucks chai lattes with soy milk for awhile, only to discover that the chai latte packets they sell (the powder used to make the chai lattes, prob. the very same stuff they make when they serve it to you over the counter) is made with skim milk powder and some other dairy ingredient, i think.


Oh bloomin heck!!! I often have one of those, what about the soya cappochinos, is that the same??.

Artichoke47
Aug 5th, 2005, 12:48 PM
You can buy the specially-formulated Silk from Starbucks for around $2.20 US, which is a heck of a lot cheaper than a tall (smallest size) soy latte.

adam antichrist
Aug 5th, 2005, 12:51 PM
I recently discovered something about soy with carageenan being a health hazard.

Can you post more info please?

Pob
Aug 5th, 2005, 01:46 PM
There's this: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYP/is_4_110/ai_86169623

Experiments on rats :mad:

Considering earlier tests showed that guinea pigs were a special case in being sensitive to carageenan, exactly how do they justify testing on rats - it's obviously not a substance that acts the same in all mammals.

onion
Aug 6th, 2005, 03:16 PM
I have no idea... but I now avoid the problem by just ordering regular coffee (black) and then asking for their carton of soy milk to put in my coffee. That way I can see exactly what they are putting in my drink! You'd have to ask about the other lattes, but I woudln't be surprised if many of the speciality drinks they advertise are made with a powder-type recipe. Sucks, eh?!

Lindsay
Aug 6th, 2005, 03:29 PM
I know that the liquid Tazo chai (in the box/carton) you can get in the grocery store includes honey, and I think that's the same kind starbucks uses also. Not 100% sure on that, though. They might use a powder. I would ask to see the ingredient label.

What's this about carageenan? I'm afraid I don't even know what that is!

assilembob
Aug 6th, 2005, 06:12 PM
I know that the liquid Tazo chai (in the box/carton) you can get in the grocery store includes honey, and I think that's the same kind starbucks uses also. Not 100% sure on that, though. They might use a powder. I would ask to see the ingredient label.

What's this about carageenan? I'm afraid I don't even know what that is!

According to this woman on the livejournal community:

my husband and i work for starbuck's, and first of all you can ignore what that person said about the steamer. it's cleaned after every drink. and we obviously use separate pitchers for soy and milk. also ignore what the person said about chai - the chai we sell as merchandise and the chai we use are different. what we use does not have honey.

basically anything but the white mocha and caramel machiato are safe. here's a partial list, but again, anything but those and obviously the frappucchinos.

soy mocha
soy hot chocolate
soy latte
soy flavored latte (vanilla, hazelnut, almond, caramel, etc etc - all are vegan)
soy creme (any syrup again)
soy cappuccino
soy misto (cafe au lait)
coffee
tea
you can ice any of the above drinks to make them the cold version
and the tazo ice blended teas

so basically anything is fine, just stay far away from the fraps, the white mocha, and the caramel sauce.

and:



you can still get the tazo tea fraps - vegan. ;) also, the chai we sell and the chai we use ourselves is different. our soy chai drinks are vegan. ;P yay.

If you wish to read the whole thread, or find the multiple other ones on the subject you can start here: http://www.livejournal.com/community/veganpeople/432110.html
There is also info about the steamers starbucks uses and how they are thouroughly cleaned after each use ect...We just got ours and I have yet to go in there. I never have the money.

Hope that helps!

~Mel

tails4wagging
Aug 6th, 2005, 06:53 PM
Phew, thanks!!!! :)

VeganJohn
Aug 6th, 2005, 07:18 PM
I really like the vegan falafel wraps they do in Starbucks. I used to go for breakfast last summer when I worked near a Starbucks :)

Artichoke47
Aug 15th, 2005, 01:34 PM
Mr. Artichoke and I shared an iced chai yesterday, and man, it was good!! :o

Artichoke47
Sep 27th, 2005, 12:00 AM
Please note that the pumpkin spice latte, even if ordered with soymilk, is not even close to vegan. The second ingredient in the pumpkin mix is cow milk-derived, and that's not the last of it. I'm glad I asked before ordering!

Mr Flibble
Sep 27th, 2005, 09:48 AM
:eek: :eek:

There's UK and US people posting in this thread not making the distinction that starbucks whilst a global chain may (and probably doesn't) not use the same recipes in different countries, depending on who their suppliers are, what's cheaper etc. I know for a fact that in the UK they use a different brand of soya milk to the US.

Personally I really wouldn't take the word of anyone in a forum post about a companies products (I'd much rather ask the company directly (when I say company i mean the regional office not stores which are normally run by idiots)), and I would completely dismiss comments by those not in my country.

Finally, what are any of you guys doing having stuff that you don't know the ingrediants of/isn't labelled vegan?

As for frothing soya milk, if it's still relevant, it's best to use soya milk as opposed to soya drink. Starbucks lattes (made with apple sweetened traditional soya milk) are far better than costa, who use fresh So Good (a white liquid that contains soya protein). It can be quite hard to get a cappacino head with soya milk, and I've met many people working in coffee places that refuse to try. The other comments in the thread about using an espresso machine's steamer, a thermometer etc are all relevant. It's important to make sure you steam the soya milk seperate before adding to espresso, and that the milk and espresso are hot to help the milk from seperating.

cedarblue
Sep 27th, 2005, 12:31 PM
[QUOTE=Mr Flibble As for frothing soya milk, if it's still relevant, it's best to use soya milk as opposed to soya drink. Starbucks lattes (made with apple sweetened traditional soya milk) are far better than costa, who use fresh So Good (a white liquid that contains soya protein). It can be quite hard to get a cappacino head with soya milk, and I've met many people working in coffee places that refuse to try. The other comments in the thread about using an espresso machine's steamer, a thermometer etc are all relevant. It's important to make sure you steam the soya milk seperate before adding to espresso, and that the milk and espresso are hot to help the milk from seperating.[/QUOTE]


anyone know if cafe nero do soy milk?
one is opening near where i work.

aubergine
Sep 27th, 2005, 01:42 PM
Cafe Nero does the best Latte in my town (I prefer Coffee Republic, but they have yet to open here).

I have no idea if they do soy though. The last time I went in there was during my veggie days.

Tigerlily
Sep 27th, 2005, 10:29 PM
:) Okay this isn't anything like Starbucks, it tastes more like Tim Horton's cappuccino (yummy but nothing like "real cappucino"):

Warm up soy milk on the stove, stirring occasionally to avoid scolding

Pour it into a mug, add 1 spoonful of French vanilla flavoured instant coffee OR 1 spoonful of normal instant coffee and a few drops of vanilla extract

Add 1-2 spoonfuls of sugar, according to taste