Introduction

Latte art is the art of drawing in milk, or more precisely with frothed milk. And we are not going to lie, it is not obvious at first sight.

We all saw one day a beautiful drawing in a cup of coffee, chocolate or tea, and probably you thought like us"olala must be really talented to do that! It looks so hard to do!".

Then the idea stuck in your head that maybe you could do it too! Well yes, it is possible! But you have to follow a few steps, and for that, the My Caffeine team and this article are here to help you.

• The necessary equipment
• How to choose and heat your milk
• Role of the "crema
• Tea & Latte art
• Basic creation
• Useful books

The necessary equipment

As with everything in life, the first step is to be well equipped. Here is what you will need to master latte art:

• an espresso machine:
  the basis for latte art is a good espresso with a nice crema. And the best way to get one is with a good espresso machine, preferably manual.

• a milk frother / steam nozzle:
  there are a multitude of milk frothers, from the simplest like the manual to the most elaborate. You can also use the steam nozzle of your espresso machine. In both cases, you will obtain the same result.

• a milk pitcher:
  If you use the steam nozzle of your espresso machine, you will need a milk pitcher. It will serve as a container for your milk that you will froth. It is very important to choose a pitcher with a capacity adapted to your needs, but also a pitcher with a sharp spout to facilitate the moment when you will pour the frothed milk into your coffee to make your drawings.

• cups of different sizes:
  from espresso to cappuccino, don't hesitate to practice on different cup sizes. This will allow you to learn how to adjust to the amount of coffee in the cup, and the remaining space for your heated and frothed milk. Ceramic cups are best, as they retain heat better.

• a sharp object to draw:
  In order to help you make some drawings, get a sharp object. It can be a spoon handle, a skewer, a toothpick or other, as long as one of the tips is thin enough to help you with the details of your latte art.

• a damp cloth:
  Have a damp cloth handy to wipe the tip of your chosen object after each design, or to wipe off any spills on the edges of your cup.

OPTIONAL

• food coloring:
  You can add powdered food coloring to your milk foam. You will obtain original works!

Choosing and heating your milk

The choice of your milk is the most important element if you want a beautiful result. Not all milk is made to froth. You will have to pay special attention to this.

If you choose a cow's milk, the fatter it is, the better it will foam.

If you choose a vegetable milk, it must absolutely be from a Barista range, which is always indicated on the packaging. Without it, you won't get a nice foamed milk.

You must heat your milk before pouring it into your espresso. If you use your steam nozzle, you should also have a thermometer. You need to steam your milk until it reaches about 60 ℃. Your foam should have a velvety consistency.

The amount of milk you use will depend on the size of your cup. For example, for a 60 cl cup, you will need to use 47 cl of cold milk.

If your foam is too thick, it means that you have added too much air when foaming your milk. If, on the other hand, you only have hot milk and very little froth, it means that you did not add enough air and did not allow the steam to heat and froth your milk long enough.

Quick tip: If you don't want to waste milk during your workouts, use water with a drop of dishwashing liquid until you are comfortable with this technique.

Role of crema

To create a latte art, the combination of crema and hot frothed milk is essential. Crema is the velvety brown layer that forms on top of your coffee as you brew.

The latte art consists of creating a beautiful contrast between the chocolate color of your crema and the white of your milk.

You must follow the instructions for creation so that your crema does not break down with the milk and disappear completely.

Note: When you pour your hot frothed milk as the base for your design, be careful to keep the crema on the surface of your cup throughout the process.

Tea and Latte Art

And yes, the art of drawing in milk is not just for coffee! It is possible to make latte art in your chai or matcha!

The rules and principles are the same as for coffee, so don't hesitate and try!

Basic creation

1. Choose your cup, and pour an espresso into it. If your mug has a handle, put it face up then tilt your mug at 45℃.
2. Take your pitcher with your previously heated and frothed milk and gently pour your milk into the center of your mug (still tilted) at a height of about 8 cm. This will allow the milk to flow into the espresso without damaging your crema, even making it soft.
3. Continue to pour the milk by zigzagging from left to right and right to left, this will keep the crema on the surface.
4. As you continue to pour your milk, move the pitcher closer to your cup as close to the surface of the coffee as possible until your cup is full. Then form your decoration.

Helpful Books

At My Caffeine, we have a few books in the caffeine world, and some of them are about latte art!

Here is a small selection to help you learn: