How do you like your coffee? Well, you probably haven’t just stumbled onto this article by accident. So, if you’re reading this, you probably love lattes.
Maybe you have an espresso machine lying around, but you have no idea how to make a latte. Plus, you may have come across this while looking up how to make a latte with an espresso machine. Don’t worry; you’re in good hands.
What Makes a Good Latte?
Before you run off to collect all the equipment, let’s start with a little introduction to lattes. You can make a latte with different kinds of milk. It would be best if you got that balance right, though.
If you’re an avid coffee lover, you should know how strong espresso shots can be. And a strong shot of espresso is what you need to make the perfect cup of latte. You need to add the right amount of frothed milk too.
And if you like your coffee sweet, you can add the amount of sugar that you prefer. There’s no right amount. This might look simple, and it is, but you can’t mess the basics up.
What You’ll Need?
With that out of the way, let’s move on to the different ingredients and equipment that you’ll need to whip up the perfect latte.
- Espresso coffee beans (you can use other beans too if not available)
- Milk
- A coffee cup
- Espresso machine
- A steam wand
- Coffee grinder (not mandatory)
- Toppings of your choice
Espresso Beans
If you want a well-brewed coffee, you need coffee beans. And if you’re looking to make the perfect cup of latte, you should probably go for espresso beans. They provide the richest of flavors and make other beans seem weak.
But you can go for other coffee beans, too, if you don’t have espresso beans around. Pull out your coffee grinder and grind the espresso beans. If you aren’t a coffee enthusiast, the chances are that you don’t have a coffee grinder lying around.
In this case, the best bet is to go for pre-ground coffees. This might feel a little less authentic, but you can opt for this if you have no choice.
Another option is to opt for roasted beans. A lot of coffee stores nowadays roast their coffee beans and sell them. If your local coffee store does the same, we recommend you to give it a try.
You can probably choose from different types of espresso beans too. But if you aren’t too familiar with them, you should stick to the standard. The standard, in this case, would be medium roasted beans.
But if you want that espresso flavor to kick in, you should try out the dark roasted beans. Once you go that way, there’s no coming back.
Milk
Two-thirds of your entire latte is milk. So, you can probably guess how important it might be to get the milk part right. Albeit you can make a latte with different types of milk, it’s imperative to get the quality and the texture right.
For a perfect cup of creamy latte, you can opt for whole milk. But if you’re not planning to go with that, you can try out a few alternatives. Heck, you can even try soy milk in your lattes. But the richness never comes close to that of whole milk.
If you are trying to avoid dairy and you still want a cup of latte, you can go for plant-based milk. But the procedure might be a bit more complicated.
Picking the Right Cup
Well, any coffee cup would do just fine. But if you want that authentic cup of latte and you’re committed to the aesthetics, you can get a latte glass. You’ll need a 240ml or 8-ounce cup.
The Espresso Machine
Since a latte is typically based on Espressos, you need to utilize an espresso machine for this. The presence of an espresso machine makes the process of brewing coffee unbelievably easier.
Any budget espresso machine will work just fine. You don’t need a fancy machine, but a machine with a steam wand might come of use. These sorts of machines help make the perfect frothed milk.
Toppings of Your Choice
Some people want their lattes with zero toppings. If you’re one of them, you can skip this ingredient step. But if you like going overboard with toppings, you can use your imagination.
Usually, the standard toppings that genuinely add flavor to the latte are chocolate syrup, cinnamon, or powdered sugar. Some even add a little cream to the top and then stir it. Try these out if you have the time.
How to Make a Latte with an Espresso Machine?
By now, you should have all the ingredients and equipment that you’ll need in one place. The latte we’re going to be making today will be relatively straightforward. So, let’s get into it.
Preheating the Cup
This step appears bizarre to a lot of people. Most people skip this step and then complain that their lattes don’t taste like the real deal. You can drastically improve the taste of your latte with this small yet effective step.
Preheating the cup allows for the espresso to stay warm while you’re making frothed milk. If you don’t follow this step, your espresso will gradually get colder, and the entire coffee will come out imbalanced.
Espresso, Double Shot!
The recommended way to go is brewing two shots. If you’re not a coffee enthusiast and you’re going with dark-roasted coffee beans and two shots of espresso, you might not enjoy the flavor. In that case, stick with a single espresso shot.
When you’re done brewing, pour out the shot in your preheated latte cup, then move on to the next step while the espresso rests.
Make the Frothed Milk
By now, you should have your milk ready on your countertop. Whichever type of milk you choose, it’s time to get down to business. Pour the milk into the pitcher and start to steam it. If you have the steam wand, use it to the fullest.
To get the perfect frothed milk, you have to keep the temperature at a steady 150 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s essential to keep it stable because turning the heat higher might add a burnt flavor.
Then, you’ll probably have to do it all over again. Use the wand to pick up the milk. Make sure to get more milk than froth. Now, pour the milk onto the latte glass over the warm espresso. Be careful not to rush.
You’ve probably seen the baristas slowly adding milk to their lattes in coffee shops. They do it for a reason. If you add the milk slowly, the froth pours at the end, giving it the perfect finish.
Final Words
Making a latte in an espresso machine is not an easy task, no matter who says what. A lot of things might go wrong, and you might end up blaming your equipment. But you can gradually become an expert and impress your friends with a little practice.
We hope we could help you out with the process. Follow the process, and you too can whip up a coffee shop class espresso in no time!
More coffee-making article: How to Steam Milk with Espresso Machine