Craving for a cup of coffee latte?
Who wouldn’t? Lattes are the most commonly ordered drinks. It’s a great drink to get when on the way to work or school.
It’s a creamy espresso-based drink, more so than cappuccinos and macchiatos. Lattes are mostly comprised of steamed milk poured over a shot over espresso.
Making latte at home is easier than most people would think. If you want to know how to make a latte at home, follow our guide. Enjoy your very own latte at home!
Prepare the Ingredients
Let’s start by preparing the needed materials and ingredients. Making a good latte isn’t complicated but you will want all your materials at the ready. Of course, it starts by getting your coffee beans.
Coffee Beans
The primary ingredient of any latte is coffee. The easiest way to grind your coffee beans is with a coffee grinder. If you don’t have one, you can always use:
- mortar and pestle
- food processor
- blender
- hammer
- knife, or
- rolling pin
To save yourself the trouble, you can also buy pre-ground coffee from a local coffee or grocery store. Roasted beans are more ideal because it’s usually fresher than grocery store coffee beans. Because a latte is an espresso-based drink, aim for dark-roasted coffee beans.
Milk
Whole milk is the ideal milk to use when making a latte at home. Whole milk can give you the richest flavor, but you can opt for alternative milk. Whole milk can also give you a creamier consistency.
Latte Glass or Cup
Generally, latte glasses measure up to 8 oz or 240 ml. Getting the right cup will help you measure the amount of milk you need to pour into your latte. Remember that skim milk is easier to steam but whole milk is going to give you more flavor.
Additional Toppings or Syrups
This part is optional. A well-made latte is usually sweet enough, but some people like to add more flavor. The most popular and common latte additions are cinnamon, chocolate, and other flavored syrups. You may want to keep a hand grinder for the chocolate.
Making Latte at Home With An Espresso Machine And Steam Wand
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, follow these steps to make lattes at home. We’ll start with making a latte using an espresso machine. This is the recommended method because a machine can deliver enough pressure to pull a good espresso.
Preheat Your Cup
Preheating your cup is an essential first step to making lattes. If you forget this step, your espresso shot may go cold while you are steaming and frothing your milk. Most espresso machines already have a cup warmer.
If yours doesn’t have a cup warmer, fill your cup with hot water first. Leave it for a minute while you prepare your shot of espresso. Move on to the next step when your cup is warm.
Brew a Double Shot of Espresso
Brew two shots of espresso for every cup of latte that you make then pour it into your latte glass. This is enough to fill the bottom portion of a demitasse. If you would rather have a weaker coffee flavor, prepare a single shot instead of two.
Froth Your Milk
Pour your desired milk into a frothing pitcher. Steam it using your espresso machine’s steam wand. The ideal temperature for frothing milk is 65.6 C or 148 F. You can tell if it’s too hot by keeping your hand on the milk pitcher and stop frothing when it gets too hot to touch.
Using a higher temperature may burn the milk.
It can reduce the milk’s sweetness and ruin your latte’s flavor. Hold your wand about half an inch below your milk’s surface. This will help you get hot milk with a bit of froth on top.
Pour Milk Into Latte Glass
After frothing your milk, pour it into your glass. Pour slowly so the milk flows first and the froth follows after. You can experiment with latte art.
How to Make Latte At Home Without an Espresso Machine
Want to enjoy a latte at home but don’t have an espresso machine? Don’t worry, we have you covered!
Aside from the ingredients listed above, prepare a jar with a lid and a spoon. If you don’t have a jar, you can also use a handheld whisk or electric whisk, a traditional blender or an immersion blender.
Prepare Your Shot of Espresso
You may also use regular coffee when making your latte. Try not to dilute your coffee too much by pouring less water. If you use a drip coffee machine, feel free to add more grounds to make the coffee stronger.
Froth Your Milk
Bring out your jar and lid. Pour your milk into the jar up to the halfway point and tightly secure the lid.
Shake your jar of milk as hard as you can for about 30 to 60 seconds, or until the milk starts to froth and has doubled in volume. Then, remove the lid and microwave your milk uncovered for about 30 seconds. The heat from the microwave will allow it to stabilize and help the foam rise to the surface.
If you don’t have a jar, you can use a whisk. If you are using a handheld whisk, froth your milk with a vigorous back and forth motion. If you have an electric mixer, whisk through the entire cup until you achieve your desired amount of foam.
If you’re using a traditional blender, use the medium setting. If using an immersion blender, use the lowest setting.
Pour Milk Into Latte Glass or Cup
When you’re done frothing your milk, pour it into your cup of espresso. Use your spoon to hold back the foam as you pour your milk. You may spoon your desired amount of milk foam on top of your latte.
Making a latte at home without an espresso machine is possible but takes more effort.
Are you looking for a good espresso machine? Here is a list of some of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines, feel free to check it out!
How to Add More Flavors to Your Latte
If you want, you can garnish your milk foam with a sprinkle of cocoa powder or nutmeg. Common pump syrups range from vanilla, caramel, and hazelnut. You may also get powdered flavoring if you don’t like syrup.
Discover More Coffee Recipes Today!
Here’s our guide to making latte at home! Now you know how to make lattes even without an espresso machine. Enjoy your very first homebrewed cup now and share it with your loved ones.
Of course, you shouldn’t stop with making a latte. There are other great drinks to try out. Go over more of our guides today for all your culinary and lifestyle needs!
