Caffè Latte (Practice Build for Latte Art)

A standard latte built for practising latte art: a double shot in a wide cup and steamed whole milk poured in two stages, the base and then the pattern.

Untested as written: a practice build assembled from makers’ guides, not a recipe from one source. It is here for the Latte Art for Beginners page.

Ingredients

• 1 double espresso, about 36 g of liquid from 18 g of coffee
• 180 to 250 ml (6 to 8½ oz) cold whole milk, or an oat barista milk

Directions

1. Warm a wide cup of 240 to 350 ml (8 to 12 oz) with hot water and empty it.
2. Fill a 12 oz (350 ml) steaming jug with the cold milk, to a third to a half full.
3. Pull the double shot straight into the warmed cup and set it beside the machine.
4. Purge the steam wand, set the tip just below the surface near the side of the jug and open the steam fully. Let it draw air for 2 to 4 seconds, then lower the tip a little so the milk spins.
5. Stop at 55 to 65 °C (130 to 150 °F), or when the jug is too hot to keep your hand on. Purge and wipe the wand at once.
6. Tap the jug on the counter and swirl it until the milk is glossy, like wet paint.
7. Tilt the cup towards the jug and pour a thin stream from a few centimetres up into the middle of the crema until the cup is half to two-thirds full.
8. Bring the spout right down to the surface and pour a little faster to draw a heart, then lift slightly and pull through.

Notes

Where this comes from The amounts follow the latte and flat white on this site’s Milk Drinks page and the steps follow De’Longhi’s latte art guide and Complete Home Barista; no single authority prints them together. A 2022 University of Camerino study found the best microfoam at a final temperature of 50 to 60 °C, a little cooler than the usual barista range. Practising without milk Water with two or three drops of clear dish soap, steamed the same way and poured into old espresso, lets you practise the movement. It is not for drinking; rinse the jug and purge the wand afterwards. The photo Latte art being poured into a cup; it is not this recipe’s cup.