Latte Recipe
Make Latte Recipe in just 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Espresso
Milk
Optional add-ins & equipment
Method
Espresso
Preheat and dose
Warm your espresso cup or latte cup by rinsing with hot water. Grind 18 g of coffee to a fine espresso grind immediately before brewing. Distribute the grounds evenly in the portafilter.
Tamp and brew
Apply even tamping pressure to the coffee puck (about 30 pounds / 13.6 kg of force). Lock the portafilter into the machine. Brew a double espresso aiming for about 36 ml of liquid in 25–35 seconds. Adjust grind if extraction is too fast or slow.
If you don't have an espresso machine, brew 60–90 ml of very strong coffee (Moka pot or Aeropress concentrate) and proceed to the milk step.
Milk
Steam milk
Purge the steam wand, then position just below the surface of the milk and turn on steam to introduce air for 1.5–3 seconds until the milk volume increases slightly (audible gentle hissing). Submerge the wand deeper and continue steaming to heat the milk to 60–65°C (140–149°F). Create a whirlpool motion to integrate foam into silky microfoam. The finished milk should have a glossy, velvety texture with very fine bubbles.
Alternative frothing
If you don't have a steam wand, heat milk on the stove or microwave to 60–65°C (do not boil) then froth with a handheld frother or shake vigorously in a jar to create foam. Let foam settle so bubbles become fine and creamy.
Assemble & Serve
Pour the brewed espresso into your warmed cup. If desired, add up to 1 tsp sugar or sweetener and stir to dissolve.
Swirl the steamed milk pitcher to integrate foam. Hold back the foam with a spoon and pour the liquid milk into the espresso, then allow the natural foam to flow on top. Aim for a 1:3 espresso-to-milk ratio (about 36 ml espresso to ~300 ml milk) so the cup is creamy but not overly milky. Practice a steady pour if you want to create latte art.
Finish with a light dusting of cocoa powder or cinnamon if desired. Serve immediately.