A Latte or coffee latte is a coffee classic that is universally adored. For coffee lovers, this coffee and milk beverage are like bread and butter. They are always together and cannot be separated. Learn to make a latte with our perfect recipe.
Whether known as a café au lait, a cafe con leche or a milchkaffee, latte has been enjoyed worldwide for centuries. If you visit your favorite local coffee shop or happen to search for ‘coffee near me’ on Google, chances are you will find latte on the menu.
Historically, in 1980 Americans with the Seattle coffee scene popularized latte and soon became a commercialized drink in the country. Not long after its popularity, latte became the standard speciality drink, meaning wherever there is a coffee shop, there must be latte in the menu. Since then latte has remained a popular option ever since.
What is latte?
Lattes (or caffe lattes) are espresso drinks made with a fairly large amount of steamed milk. It is similar to a cappuccino, but a cappuccino consists of equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam, whereas a latte is made with much more milk than coffee.
Lattes use a ratio of at least 1 shot of espresso to 2 ounces of steamed milk and are capped with just a thin layer of foam on the top. This means lattes are milkier than cappuccinos. Because it has more steamed than foamed milk, the milk sinks into the espresso in a latte, while cappuccinos have three distinct layers.
What coffee roast is best for lattes?
The best coffee roasts for lattes are medium and dark roasts. These coffee roasts have a medium to full body, slight acidity, with a few strong undertones.
We don’t recommend using a light roasted coffee for a latte. The notes of a light roasted coffee bean can come in a bit underwhelming when brewing the latte
What coffee is used in a latte?
Espresso coffee is used as the basis for any latte made in coffee shops, so it’s best to use it when making lattes at home as well.
For high-quality espresso, you need high-quality coffee beans. Freshly roasted, freshly ground coffee beans are the key to great coffee.
You can make great lattes at home by using freshly ground coffee beans, a great espresso machine, and a milk frother.
How to make a latte
Equipments:
- Coffee machine or espresso machines
- Milk jug
- Thermometer
Ingredients:
- One shot of espresso
- Milk
- Additional toppings and syrups (optional)
Methods:
- Preheat the cup. Fill your cup with hot water and let it sit for a minute while you prepare your shot of espresso. Once your cup has warmed up, move onto step two.
- Using an espresso machine, pull a single shot of espresso. If you prefer a stronger cup of latte, brew a double shot of espresso. Put in the cup.
- Froth the milk. Put your milk of choice in a frothing pitcher and steam it using your machine’s wand.
- Pour the steamed milk into your glass. Take your time with this and try not to splash or spill any of the hot milk or espresso. Once you are happy with your pouring result, enjoy the latte.
