What Is a Latte?
Known as the king of coffee, this classic drink is loved by many. It’s rich, thick, and robust flavor makes the mouth of every coffee lover drool.
A latte is made from two ingredients: expresso and steamed milk. In fact, the very word “latte” is derived from the Italian word “caffè e latte,” which means “coffee and milk”. It can be customized with various flavors such as caramel, mocha, vanilla, and other flavored syrups. Different variants of milk can also be used such as almond, coconut, oat, and soy.
Not a coffee lover? Supplement this delicious drink with tea instead! Some popular tea lattes include: matcha, masala chai, rooibos, and more.
A latte is usually made with 1/3 expresso and 2/3 steamed milk with a thin layer of foam on top. This is a fantastic expresso drink for those who do not want anything extremely strong. Even though expresso is strong and robust in caffeine content, the amount of milk heavily dilutes the intensity of the coffee.
How to Make a Homemade Latte
Make your coffee.
Steam or heat the milk.
Wait for 30 seconds to one minute then pour the froth on top of your expresso.
Add sweetener, if desired, and enjoy!
How to Make a Homemade Mocha Latte
Add milk and hot chocolate mix to a medium pot over medium low heat. Whisk together until mixture starts to steam.
Froth the mix.
Add expresso to a mug and pour frothed chocolate mixture on top.
Top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and chocolate sundae syrup, if desired.
Serve hot and enjoy!
How to Make a Cinnamon Dolce Latte
Ingredients for syrup:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, optional
3 cinnamon sticks
Directions to make syrup:
Combine the sugars, water, and cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan and bring to boil, whisking occasionally.
Reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the volume is reduced by half. Keep stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Cool at room temperature before refrigerating in a sealed container.
Directions for Cinnamon Dolce Lattes (makes two drinks):
Brew your expresso coffee.
Pour milk into saucepan over medium high heat and whisk constantly (or use a frother).
When milk is at least half foam, remove from heat.
Stir 1-2 Tablespoons of the Cinnamon Dolce syrup into the hot coffee and top with milk and foam.
Garnish with whipped cream, a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon, and drizzle with the cinnamon dolce syrup.
Enjoy!
Tip: To make an iced cinnamon dolce latte, just add cold mild instead of hot frothed milk.
