How to make a latte in a coffee machine

In the middle of the last century, passionate coffee lovers, the Italians, came up with a way to reduce the strength of the aromatic drink using milk foam. They solved the problem of consuming coffee in large quantities with the least harm to health. Thus began the triumphant march of a new way of making coffee - latte.

The name was easy to come up with: in Italian, the word “latte” is used to describe milk. We will tell you how to make a real latte coffee in a coffee machine.

Features of making latte

Milk is as important an ingredient in lattes as coffee. But don’t think that latte and coffee with milk are the same thing. After all, milk is not added to espresso, but milk foam. To get it, the milk needs to be thoroughly whipped.

Latte coffee is unique:

• The base of the latte is good, strong espresso, prepared according to all the rules.

Reference! You can use any coffee brand to make a latte. It is preferable to use a mixture of Arabica (up to 80%) and Robusta (up to 20%). A latte made from a mixture of two varieties is richer and tastier.

• Equally important is the correct choice of milk. Even if you are on a diet, do not use skim milk for your latte. In this case, milk with a fat content of 3.2% or higher is suitable for you.Otherwise, you will not be able to properly beat the product and get foam.

Important! If your coffee machine does not have a function for frothing milk, you can do this using other household appliances. To obtain the desired foam, beat the full-fat milk in a mixer or blender for 3 to 5 minutes.

• The traditional proportions of espresso coffee and frothed milk are 1:1.
• Latte requires special serving - in a glass goblet so that the layers of coffee and milk are visible. Don't forget a straw and a spoon, too; many latte lovers like to eat the milk foam first.
• You can use finely grated chocolate or aromatic cinnamon as decoration.

Coffee lovers and professional baristas know many ways to prepare delicious latte coffee. Getting to know them will help you make “your own” coffee.

Classic Latte Recipe

Let's start with the basic, classic method.

If you have a capsule coffee machine at your disposal, it will do almost everything for you! All you need to do is purchase coffee and milk capsules in a timely manner.

Let's talk in more detail about making lattes in other coffee machines.

First of all, you will need to clarify the method of preparing espresso in the coffee machine you use. At the same time, check whether your coffee machine has a pitcher or cappuccino maker that performs the “milk frothing” function.

Follow these steps:

• Brew strong espresso as recommended in the instructions.
• In a coffee machine or using a blender or mixer, beat the milk into a strong foam. If you often froth milk for cappuccino, keep in mind that the foam for your latte should be stiffer.

Attention! The milk must be heated before frothing. Don't boil milk! The optimal temperature is 50-60 °C.

• To make a latte, fill a tall, clear glass. Use one of the traditional glass filling options:

2 layers

First, freshly brewed espresso is poured into the glass. Frothed milk is carefully poured into classic coffee. Try to get a thin stream of milk into the glass. It is desirable that the layers are preserved; to do this, you need to pour coffee along the glass wall of the glass. But if during the first attempts they are mixed, do not be upset, this will not change the taste of the drink.

3 layers

To get a three-layer coffee cocktail, first pour frothed milk into a glass, then pour in coffee, and finish with the third layer - milk foam.

Important! If you like sweetened coffee, add sugar to your latte correctly, not to the glass with the finished drink, but to the espresso! And then combine sweet espresso with whipped milk.

• If desired, garnish the latte with grated chocolate chips or ground cinnamon.

Making latte outside the box

It's easy to avoid monotony when making a latte. Your loved ones will be surprised by the variations of your favorite drink. To do this, you need to use not only the usual recipe. Latte also allows for non-standard approaches.

Latte macchiato

“Macchiato” (or “machiato”) is a “children’s” coffee invented by the Italians. It is characterized by an increase in milk volume. The proportions of espresso and milk in a macchiato are 1:3. Coffee is poured into hot frothed milk, and brown coffee specks appear on the snow-white surface.

That is why the drink got its name, “macchiato” translated from Italian as “spot”. Initially, macchiato was not decorated with a foam cap on top; coffee stains were a unique feature of this coffee. But now, more and more often, macchiato is served with milk whipped into foam, just like a regular latte.

Ice latte

And in this case, the name indicates originality: iced latte is an ice-cold drink that many prefer to the usual recipe in the hot summer. To prepare an iced latte, you will need ice cubes, which are placed in the glass first. Milk for ice coffee is not heated, but rather cooled. Brewed espresso is added to a glass with ice and ice-cold milk in a thin stream.

A variation of ice latte is coffee, which is prepared with ice cream instead of ice. In this case, replace the ice with a scoop (50 g) of ice cream. Typically, professionals prefer ice cream, but they also like to experiment with creme brulee, chocolate, vanilla and other types of ice cream.

Interesting additives for making an interesting latte

Even a latte prepared according to a classic recipe can be made unusual with the help of some additive.

Syrups

Using syrup: vanilla, cherry, blueberry, mint, etc. will help add a new flavor to your usual latte.

Important! You can add any syrup to your latte, except citrus fruits, which will make the milk sour.

A glass of latte will require 50 ml of syrup. 1/3 is cooled and poured into an empty glass. 2/3 are mixed with heated milk before whipping.

Homemade caramel

The addition of homemade caramel made from sugar and water will give the latte an extraordinary taste. Order of filling the glass: milk, espresso, caramel, milk foam.

Alcohol

Guests at your party will appreciate the original coffee latte you offer. You don't have to invent a new recipe for this. After brewing a classic latte, add a little alcohol, such as rum, cream or caramel liqueur, etc.

Halva

Oriental sweetness gives the latte a special originality and zest.Milk for latte needs to be divided.

70 g of halva is ground into crumbs, mixed with most (3/4) of heated milk. Beat the resulting mixture thoroughly with a mixer or blender. Brewed espresso is poured into a glass, then a whipped mixture of milk and halva is poured. Place the remaining 1/4 of the milk on top, which is also thoroughly whipped until foamy. You can decorate the milk froth with grated chocolate.

With cinnamon and honey

To give your latte a sweetish taste with a hint of cinnamon, you need to add them to brewed espresso. For 120 ml of classic coffee you will need 2 dessert spoons of honey and a third of a teaspoon of cinnamon. Additional ingredients are added to the heated milk before churning. Coffee with honey and cinnamon is poured into a glass goblet, then whipped milk is carefully poured in and everything is decorated with milk foam.

Chocolate and processed cheese, grated ginger and nutmeg, even softened banana become additives that give your latte an unusual taste. Become a real creator by making a latte in a coffee machine!