First of all, a disclaimer - if you want consistently great, coffee-shop quality lattes, you're going to have to pay your local barista a visit. The fact of the matter is that while teaching yourself how to make a decent latte at home is definitely worth the effort, it's unlikely to be better than one made by a qualified coffee professional.
But should you let that put you off learning how to make your own lattes? Definitely not. With our handy hints, you'll be enjoying delicious home-brewed lattes in no time.
How to make a latte
Ingredients
Although lattes are essentially just espressos with milk, making them well is easier said than done.
To make the perfect latte, you will need:
a large mug
18g ground espresso (or one espresso pod)
250ml milk
Start by making around 35ml espresso, then pour it into your mug.
Next, steam the milk with the steamer attachment on your coffee machine until it has around 2-3cm of foam on top. Hold the jug so that the spout is about 3-4cm above the cup and pour the milk in steadily. As the amount of coffee within the cup increases, bring the jug as close to the surface of the drink as possible. Aim to pour into the centre.
Once the milk jug is almost touching the surface of the coffee, tilt to speed up the rate of pour. As you accelerate, the milk will hit the back of the cup and start naturally folding in on itself to create a pattern on the top.
Once all the milk has been poured, your latte is ready to drink! We recommend serving it alongside breakfast, brunch, lunch… or a sweet treat at elevenses!
Latte2U
At Cafe2U, not only can we make an excellent latte, we can even bring it to your door, regardless of where you are. To arrange a delivery from your nearest van, click here.