A vanilla cappuccino is an espresso coffee drink made with milk and vanilla flavoring. There are several ways to make a vanilla cappuccino: the vanilla flavoring can either be added to the espresso before the milk is added, or the flavoring can be mixed with the milk before it is poured into the coffee. A vanilla cappuccino is made in the same way as a regular cappuccino, but it is enhanced with vanilla flavoring.
A cappuccino is a coffee drink made with espresso and steamed, frothed milk. The proper proportions for a cappuccino are equal parts espresso, milk, and foam. In contrast, a latte is made with more milk than foam, and an espresso does not use milk or foam at all.
Espresso drinks are concentrated coffee beverages made by quickly forcing water through coffee grounds. The water should be between 195°F and 200°F (about 90°C to 93°C). The resulting liquid is a fresh, strong shot of espresso coffee.
Vanilla syrups are commonly used to make vanilla cappuccinos. The vanilla syrup can be found in both sugar free and regular varieties. For the vanilla lover who lacks a sweet tooth, straight vanilla extract can be added to the espresso before the milk is added to infuse the coffee drink with the scent and taste of vanilla without the added sweetness of most syrups.
Another way to make a vanilla cappuccino is to mix the vanilla in with the milk before it is frothed and added to the espresso drink. There are several ways to froth milk for an espresso drink. The most common way is to pour the milk into a metal or glass container and then place a steam wand into the milk. When the steam is forced through the milk, it heats it up and causes it to froth and foam.
Milk can also be frothed on the stove top. To do this, the milk is poured into a pan and heated until it begins to roll and froth. It should be stirred repeatedly and watched closely — as soon as the milk heats up, it is likely to froth right over the edge of the pan.
Vanilla cappuccinos also can be made iced. For this drink, the hot espresso, mixed with the vanilla flavoring, is poured over ice cubes. Cold milk is added to the ice and vanilla flavored espresso, and then the foam is scooped onto the top of the drink.
