Post on 13-Jul-2015
Caffè latte is a coffee-based drink made primarily from espresso and steamed milk. It consists of
one-third espresso, two-thirds heated milk and about 1cm of foam. Depending on the skill of the
barista, the foam can be poured in such a way to create a picture. Common pictures that appear in
lattes are love hearts and ferns. Latte art is an interesting topic in itself.
Latte art
Traditionally the cafe latte is a ratio of two parts coffee and one part steamed milk (also called a Cafe
Au Lait).
Thanks to Starbucks the Flat White (1 shot of espresso, fill cut with steamed milk, top with foam) has
been masquerading around as Cafe Latte.
CONTENTS
[show]
ORIGINS EDIT
In Italy, latte means milk. What in English-speaking countries is now called a latte is shorthand for
"caffelatte" or "caffellatte" ("caffè e latte"). The Italian form means "coffee and milk", similar to the
French café au lait, the Spanish café con leche and the Portuguese café com leite. Other drinks
commonly found in shops serving caffè lattes are cappuccinos and espressos.
Ordering a "latte" in Italy will get the customer a glass of hot or cold milk.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary the term caffè latte was first used in English in 1847 (as
caffè latto), and in 1867 as caffè latte by William Dean Howells in his essay "Italian Journeys".
However, in Kenneth Davids' Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing and Enjoying it is said that "At
least until recently, ordering a 'latte' in Italy got you a puzzled look and a hot glass of milk. The
American-style caffè latte did not exist in Italian caffès, except perhaps in a few places dominated by
American tourists... Obviously breakfast drinks of this kind have existed in Europe for generations,
but the caffè version of this drink is an American invention..
PREPARATION EDIT
Outside Italy, a caffè latte is typically prepared in a 240 mL (8oz) glass or cup with one standard shot
of espresso (either single, 30 mL, or double, 60 mL) and filled with steamed milk, with a layer of
foamed milk approximately 12 mm (½ inch) thick on the top. A caffè latte may also be served
consisting of strong or bold coffee (sometimes espresso) mixed with scalded milk in approximately a
1:1 ratio. The drink is similar to a cappuccino, the difference being that a cappuccino consists of
espresso and steamed milk with a 2 cm (¾ inch) layer of thick milk foam. An Australian/New
Zealand variant similar to the latte is the flat white, which is served in a smaller ceramic cup with the
creamy steamed milk poured over a single-shot of espresso, holding back the lighter froth at the top.
Latte swan
SERVING LATTES EDIT
In some establishments, lattes are served in a glass on a saucer with a napkin which can be
used to hold the (sometimes hot) glass.
A latte is sometimes served in a bowl; in Europe, particularly Scandinavia, this is referred to
as a cafe au lait.
Increasingly common in Western and European, latte art has led to the stylization of coffee
making, and the creation of what is now a popular art form. Created by pouring steaming,
and mostly frothed, milk into the coffee, that liquid is introduced into the beverage in such a
way, patterns are distinguishable on the top of coffee. Popular patterns can include hearts,
flowers, trees and other forms of simplistic representations of images and objects.
The relatively high prices demanded by some establishments have led to the creation of
ghetto latte or bootleg lattes, whereby customers mix their own latte by ordering a lower-
priced cup of espresso and then mixing it with milk and other condiments offered for free at
the condiments bar.
In Asia and North America, lattes have been combined with Asian teas. Coffee and tea shops
now offer hot or iced latte versions of chai, matcha, and Royal milk tea.
Other flavorings can be added to the latte to suit the taste of the drinker. Vanilla, chocolate,
and caramel are all popular variants.
In South Africa a red latte is made with rooibos tea.
Coffee Info
About
Hi and welcome to Coffee Info!
This website is a hobby of mine and I try to post as much useful information about coffee here as
possible. Coffee is the second biggest industry in the world at the moment, bigger than tabaco and alcohol. We all know why… because it’s so good! We drink about 2 billion cups of coffee in the world
every day so we must be doing something right. But… there is much to learn!
Coffee is constantly evolving and new machines and techniques are producing better tasting coffees every day. Who knows where we are in the next 10 years? I think that we will stick to the espresso
coffee machine with attached semi-automatic grinders. Machines will evolve but the art of the barista
will always stay alive (so I hope anyway).
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How to Make a Latte 610,209 view s
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Edited 4 days ago
Two Methods:Making Lattes with an Espresso MachineMaking Lattes without an Espresso Machine
Want to make a perfect latte? Get the ingredients listed here, follow the steps below,
and satisfy your coffee craving from the comfort of your own home. Making a latte is
relatively easy, after all.
Things You'll Need
Espresso machine, with Steam Wand
Tamp
Metal Pitcher
Shot glasses or equivalent
Thermometer (optional). If you know what you're doing, you can feel the temperature.
Milk
Ground espresso beans
Coffee mug or equivalent
Ingredients
Espresso
3/4 cup (~175 ml) to 1 cup (~235 ml) milk
Flavored syrup (optional)
Method 1 of 2: Making Lattes with an Espresso Machine
1.
1 Heat the cup you're going to be pouring the latte into. (Optional.) If you want your
latte to stay warmer longer, heat your cup by letting very warm water rest in it while you
steam your milk. Ad
2.
2 Fill the metal pitcher with 1 cup milk. Fill the pitcher with 3/4 cup if flavor is being
used.
Nonfat milk is the easiest to make foam with but doesn't taste as decadent as milk with
more fat.[1]
2% milk produces foam nicely and easily and readily while still adding a little bit of
creaminess to your drink.
Whole milk is the hardest milk to foam, but delivers the tastier latte owing to its high fat
content.
3.
3 Using a thermometer, steam milk until it hits 155ºF to 165ºF (~68ºC - 74ºC). Be
careful not to steam the milk above 170ºF (~77ºC) or it will scorch.
Alternately, if you don't have a thermometer, cup your hand just underneath the pitcher.
When the pitcher becomes too hot to touch, remove the pitcher from the steam wand
shortly thereafter.
Insert the steam wand diagonally into the milk, resting it just below the surface of the
milk. This will create froth necessary for a good latte.
Shoot for a small, light bubbles (called microfoam) instead of big, soapy bubbles. You
want your foam to have lightness without sacrificing body.
When frothing, make sure you are creating rotational flow in the steam pitcher. Once the
temperature of the milk is warm to the touch, raise the steam pitcher to cease frothing
and continue to heat to 165ºF.
4.
4 Tamp the ground espresso into the portafilter firmly. Lock the portafilter into the
group head on the espresso machine. Start the shots running immediately.
For every shot of espresso, use between 7-8 grams of ground espresso.
Choose the two-shot option for a double-shot latte (stronger espresso flavor). Choose
the single-shot option for a milder espresso flavor.
Tamp down using between 30-40 lbs of pressure for an ideal tamp. Press down on a
bathroom scale to figure out how hard you'll have to press on the portafilter.
Grind your espresso beans in a burr grinder for added freshness and control. Burr
grinders will let you control how fine or coarse your espresso grinds turn out.
5.
5 Pull the espresso shot(s). Pulling shots is an art form: A perfect shot has a fluid heart,
minimum body and a small helping of cream (crema) or foam on its surface.
A perfect shot is pulled inside of 21-24 seconds, with the espresso being sweeter when
the shots are running closer to 24 seconds.
You can control the length of the extraction by how hard the espresso grounds are
tamped. Tamp just hard enough and your espresso will extract slowly and calmly. Don't
tamp enough and your espresso will extract too quickly.
6. 6
Pour your perfect shot(s) into your coffee mug or equivalent. Do not let your shots
sit for longer than 10 seconds without adding milk to them. If desired place 1 shot of
flavor in cup before adding espresso.
7. 7
Texture your milk by rolling it around in the steam pitcher until glossy on the
surface. Tap the pitcher down solidly on a surface before pouring.
8. 8
Pour your steamed milk over the espresso. The froth will pour smoothly and blend
with the espresso cream.
Now is the time to make latte art if you're adventurous.
When pouring, use a spoon to regulate the flow of the foam. Make sure no foam enters
the drink until you are about 1/4 in. from the top, where you can remove your spoon.
The result should be a nice brown foamy top with a small white foam center.
Method 2 of 2: Making Lattes without an Espresso Machine
1. 1
Brew some very strong coffee. Double-strong works, or if you have espresso, you can
use that as well.
2. 2
Heat up 1 cup (~175 ml) milk in a saucepan on the stovetop using medium
heat. Use 2% milk or whole milk for a creamier latte, nonfat milk as a healthier
substitute.
3. 3
Whisk the milk over the stove top with a whisk. Put a little arm into it. Alternately,
use an electric blender, or — in a pinch — use a food processor to "froth" the milk
4. 4
Pour your coffee or espresso into a mug. Make sure to leave enough for your frothy
milk.
5. 5
Keeping the foam in your saucepan, gently pour the milk into the mug. Once most
of the milk has been poured into the mug, layer the milk foam on top for a delightful
treat.
Put a little (very little) bit of vanilla extract in your espresso for a nutty, sweet flavor.
If desired, dust off the top of the espresso with a little bit of cinnamon or nutmeg.
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Tips
Keep the pitcher refrigerated before you steam the milk. A cold pitcher allows you more
time to make a better foam/froth.
There are three parts that make espresso: The most important is the Heart (which is the
light brown); the Body (the majority of the drink and the dark brown); and theCream (the
portion of foam on the surface of the shot). You can add syrups and sugars for extra
flavors. Ad
Related wikiHows
How to
Steam Milk
How to
Make a Perfect Coffee
How to
Make Latte Art
How to
Make Iced Coffee
How to
Make a Caramel Macchiato
How to
Make a Cappuccino
Sources and Citations
1. ↑ http://coffeegeek.com/guides/frothingguide/steamguide
Article Info
Categories: Espresso Based Coffee
Recent edits by: PuppyBlue, Ekhaliullina, semsem Atia
In other languages:
Deutsch: Wie man einen Latte Macchiato macht, Français: Comment faire un café
latté, Español: Cómo hacer un café latte, Italiano: Come Preparare un
Caffellatte, Português: Como Fazer um Latte, 中文: 制作一杯拿铁, Nederlands: Een
caffè latte maken
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