Latte Art is one of the best techniques that barista learns. But if you are not a barista and you want to enjoy a cup of coffee with latte art, you don’t have to spend so much on expensive coffee. It can be cheaper if you know how to make your own. A latte is a mixture of espresso and steamed milk.
A very good espresso machine is needed. You’ll also want to get your hands on some coffee beans that are great for espresso. The next thing you need to do is learn how to make a latte art. Making espresso shots at home is indeed one of the small pleasures that coffee lovers would want to have. Do you want to know how to pick the best espresso machine and make your own coffee art? Then this article is definitely for you.
Different Types Of Espresso Machine
There are two different types of espresso machine available in the market these days. One is the Steam-Driven Espresso Machine, and the other is the Pump-Driven Espresso Machine. Check here for the detailed difference between these two types:
* Steam-Driven Espresso Machines are best for stronger coffee. This is perfect if you want to make a strong coffee rather than an espresso. The price of these types of machine ranges from $40 to $60.
* Pump-Driven Espresso Machine is perfect for making real crema-topped espresso. This is the choice of most baristas and the best pick for making latte art. It comes as Semi-Automatic which is a bit complicated and needs the skill to perfect it, but this just costs about $100 to $1000. While the Super Automatic is the easiest to use but for a price that ranges from $500 to $3000.
TOP 3 Espresso Machines
Breville BES870XL. This is the “Barista Express” but is also perfect for homemade latte art just like the ones that you can buy at popular cafés. This very powerful machine comes in stainless steel, cranberry red, as well as black sesame colors. This has a built-in heating system which is called the “15-Bar pressure brewing pump” but is very easy to use. This is the best choice for family use, or for small office since it can store up to 2 liters of water.
Mr. Coffee Café Barista Espresso Maker (Comes with Milk Frother). The brand Mr. Coffee has been operating since the early 70’s. They are one of the most trusted manufacturers espresso machine makers. This model is a semi-automatic machine but the beans need to manually placed. The automatic features are for the milk-frothing mechanism. This machine also comes with a heating system; the 15-Bar pressure pump brewing system. You can choose from the colors stainless steel black, red and while.
DeLonghi EC680M DEDICA. DeLonghi is also a very popular brand of coffee makers. This machine is very slim and is made of stainless steel. This is perfect for a small-sized kitchen. You can choose from making a double-shot espresso, or a frothy cappuccino. This can heat up in less than a minute, making espresso making much faster. This also comes with the new heating system with the 15-Bar pressure which is much preferred for café-quality coffee.
Making Your First Latte Art
If you are a coffee-lover, making your own latte art is a plus, not only for yourself but for any visitors who want to come over. No more need to go to your favorite coffee shop. You can enjoy your favorite cup right at the comforts of your home.
When you want to make a coffee drink with steamed milk, you need to have an espresso machine that has a steaming wand, a pitcher for frothing your milk, espresso, milk, and a rounded cup. Before anything else, make sure that everything is cleaned. This includes your steaming wand.
* How To Steam. Fill the milk-frothing pitcher with milk right at the bottom of the spout. Submerge the wand and raise it up a bit, letting you hear just a few hisses. Make sure not to raise it too high to avoid bubbles from forming. The milk will start to swirl and as it becomes warmer, start to raise the pitcher so the wand can swirl deeper. Once the milk is warm enough, about 140°F, you then know that it’s done. If you see bubbles, tap the pitcher lightly on the counter. The milk should be thicker by now.
* How To Pour. It’s time to pour your espresso and steamed milk. Making your first latte art is easier when you are using a rounded cup. Start pouring your espresso to the bottom of your cup. Add a small amount of steamed milk while swirling it around to incorporate it. Make sure that you maintain speed and height as you pour slowly in a circular motion, evenly.
* How To Make Latte Art. Now that you have your steamed milk and espresso incorporated, start making your latte art. Once you are in the second half of the cup, make sure that the pitcher is closer to the surface. This will make the layer and the milk will not mix with the espresso. Make a distinction between the white foam and the latte.
* The Latte Art Technique. You can start on the farthest side from you and start pouring towards you while creating a while circle. Once you reach the other end of the cup, drag the pitcher across making a “cut” and forming a heart. There are plenty of step-by-step videos online on how to make the simplest and the most complicated designs for latte art. The most common designs are The Heart, The Rosetta, Etch Spirals, Chocolate Syrup Circles, and The Bear.
Making a latte art takes practice. You need to make sure that you learn the perfect speed and height in making your design. Making latte arts may look complicated. But as long as you have the perfect espresso machine, the best coffee beans, the milk of your choice, and the practice, it can be very easy and fun. You can choose from the best espresso machines mentioned above, master the technique in latte art, making a picture-worthy cup.
