Guide To Making ‘Latte Art’ At Home Like A Pro

Do you remember the first time you were served a decorated latte coffee?

Latte art has been with us for a short time but it is already an essential trend in the world of specialty coffee.

The talent of the great baristas continues to leave us open-mouthed, but you too can make latte art at home like a professional.

You dare? Do not miss our guide.

Remembering concepts: what exactly is latte art?

With so many specialty coffees and new fashions popping up every day, it doesn’t hurt to do a little review to remember what exactly a latte art- decorated cafe is.

Although its name is associated with latte coffee, it is a technique that can be applied to other latte coffees.

Its origin dates back to the 80s, when the first works of coffee art began to appear in Italy and the United States.

It is not very clear who invented it, but it was the American David Schomer who popularized the technique by becoming an expert and publishing a book about it.

A decade later the madness was unleashed.

It is a decorative resource that uses frothed milk to create artistic motifs on coffee cream.

The great baristas become artists with more or less expertise when it comes to pouring milk, since the drawings are formed directly while the dairy is combined with the coffee.

Finishing touches are usually applied by adding cocoa and cinnamon powder or syrups and sweet sauces.

You can also play with the thick foam to add volume in 3D designs or use a small stick to draw more detailed details using the color of the same coffee.

Thus, the base of a latte art are two fundamental ingredients: a good coffee and milk, in different proportions depending on the drink.

This art can be applied to a cappuccino, cut coffee, café au lait, or, of course, latte coffee.

The science of milk: which one to use?

Almost everyone who fails to make latte art at home makes a big mistake: not choosing milk well.

It is essential that the milk foam properly to be able to draw on the coffee, and that is why you have to choose a good quality milk.

Look for it to be whole, fresh and better if it is from the artisan tradition of a local dairy company.

Isyour lactose intolerant, allergic to milk protein, or vegan?

You can also make latte art with alternative drinks, but the best vegetable option of all is peanut milk.

And above all, choose one that you like the taste of, the coffee has to be delicious!

Fresh milk must be kept very cold in the fridge, at about 4-7 degrees Celsius.

Then steam is added, raising the temperature to 35-40 degrees, and then heated to about 65-70.

In these steps, chemical processes are triggered that “denature” the milk, obtaining the appropriate micro-foam to be able to decorate.

Everything you need to make latte art at home

Before starting to practice make sure you have all the essential tools and products:

• Automatic or super-automatic espresso coffee machine with frothing or steaming accessory.
• Milk jug with at least 500-700 ml capacity.
• Cups wide mouth, capuccino style.
• Thermometer to control the temperature of the milk (optional, but recommended).
• Sprinkler and templates to decorate with cinnamon or cocoa.
• Skewers or sticks to draw.
• Good quality coffee beans roasted to your liking.
• Whole milk, preferably fresh, very cold.

Once you have everything ready and prepared, you can start practicing by following these steps:

Start by preparing a good coffee to your liking with your coffee maker.

It is essential to have a good machine at home so that the coffee has a top quality cream, since it is the base on which the frothed milk will fall.

Fill the jug with milk taken directly from the fridge, which is very cold, only halfway.

Place the nozzle of the frother or frother inside the jug, slightly diagonally, but without touching the milk.

You have to leave a small gap of millimeters so that the steam enters as if we were blowing. This is how air enters.

Don’t move the jar, the coffee maker does all the work.

Leave it fixed and stable. This creates a fine, dense and creamy foam with very small and imperceptible bubbles.

Make sure that the milk does not exceed 70 degrees. Stir gently to add shine.

Pour in the milk making sure the trickle falls continuously, leaving the cup and jug straight.

Start at a height of about 5 cm and keep raising the cup to finish with the nozzle just above it.

Start with a slow speed and speed up the pour when you have half.

The drawings are made at the end of the pour, when the cup is full of milk.

Bring the nozzle as close as possible to create the images you want. Start experimenting little by little to see how the milk behaves in the cream.

You can put the finishing touches by sprinkling cinnamon or cocoa, with or without templates, using a toothpick or skewer or adding details with chocolate sauce.

When you have mastered the technique of foaming and pouring, you can start experimenting with the drawings you want.

It is all a matter of practice and creativity! Let your imagination run wild and take advantage of every time you want to have a good coffee at home to practice.

You can be inspired by watching the best baristas in your city live or with the video tutorials that many professionals share online.

You will see how in a short time and with a little practice you will be able to create your own latte art at home and you will leave your guests open-mouthed.

If you’re lazy like me who just need one of coffee to start a day them find the great collection of Keurig to make a cup tasty coffee.