How To Make Cappuccino And Latte At Home
On Your Own: How To Make Cappuccino And Latte In The Comfort Of Your Own Home Without Going To Barista School
Although cappuccino and latte are not the only drinks that coffee lovers crave, they are some of the most simple and mutable. A chocolate flavored latte is essentially a cafe mocha without the whipped cream. But I digress, let’s get to the drinks. We have to assume that you have the proper equipment first: a standard espresso machine capable of foaming milk, espresso beans that have been properly ground, milk (skim foam is best), and the flavoring of your choosing (if any).
Both drinks begin the same.
Fill the portafilter, as I call it, with the proper amount of espresso.
Tamp down with enough pressure (technically it’s about twenty pounds throw your body into it a bit) to make the surface of the ground beans smooth.
Place the filter into the machine.
Place an espresso shot glass or cup underneath the filter to catch the espresso.
Begin to steam the milk to a temperature that is no less than 140 degrees and as hot as you find pleasurable.
THEN, turn the machine on to brew the espresso. The flavor is spoiled when the shots have to sit for more than thirty seconds.
For one drink, you will need two ounces of espresso brewed.
This is where the two recipes differentiate from each other, but not by much.
Cappuccino
You want to create an ample amount of foam in the milk by tipping the pitcher or container that is holding the heated milk and bringing the steaming apparatus along the surface gently bringing the steam wand up as the foam is created. This additional foam is vital for the cappuccino. When the milk is thoroughly heated and you have created enough foam to fill one third of your coffee mug, then turn off the steam wand and pour the espresso shots.
In your coffee cup, put the shot(s) into the cup first
Add enough milk to fill the cup two thirds of the way
In the remaining space, spoon out foam
You have a perfectly blended cappuccino if you like a little flavoring, you can place that into the cup before adding the espresso and stir with the milk and espresso before topping it off with foam.
The same concept applies with a latte but without the additional foam. Only a little extra foam needs to be made for the latte.
Add the shots to your cup, then fill the cup with milk, leaving only a little room for a short layer of foam
Some coffee shops add whipped cream, but this is not the proper definition of a latte
Adding flavoring happens at the beginning, as with the cappuccino.
Now you know how to make authentic cappuccinos and lattes not so hard, huh? Maybe next time I’ll give up the recipe for something else. Any ideas?
December 27th, 2007 at 12:30 am
RE: LATTE
Actually, the word latte, in Italian is milk. Therefore, if you went to Italy and ordered a latte, you would receive a glass of milk. The real term is coffee-latte (or coffee with milk). Americans shortened the term from coffee-latte to just latte.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:52 am
actually if you want to be technical about it the proper name is caffe latte.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
haha wow i like the technical stuff
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:38 am
Actually I don’t really think it matters.
December 6th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
this is real good information. Thanks
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:05 am
haha, or cafe’ au lait if you wanna speak some French
January 18th, 2009 at 3:09 am
“cafe au lait” in the US is different than a latte/caffe latte. It’s 1/2 brewed coffee (not espresso), 1/2 steamed milk. Sometimes it’s called a misto.
February 8th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
can i make a home made cappuccino and cafe latte without a machine. it’s just that my friends keep on asking if it is possible.
February 11th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Hey Charlie! Sure you can make cappucino and caffe latte without a machine! It’s harder since you don’t have the milksteamer, though. You can use a Mocka Coffee Maker, just google it.
June 10th, 2009 at 7:19 am
Never made a cappucino etc before! Bought a Saeco Talea Giro, followed the principles outlined above and immediately made one of the best coffees I have had using Lavvazo Torino. I was struggling ’til I read the above.
July 6th, 2009 at 4:02 am
this information is helpful to coffee lovers those like to travel around the world (same make of coffee but different name and different method of making coffee)
August 21st, 2009 at 4:14 pm
information are really helpful to everybody because it give us ideas about the correct preparation of coffee not just by the appearance but specially the correct procedures….
August 21st, 2009 at 10:58 pm
I’m looking for an espresso maker, and I’m on a budget of under $200. I only want it to make lattes. I’m looking for the quarlity of the machine and not necessarily the quality of the shot since I’m not a espresso drinker. Please help!
September 17th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
in response to confused…I bought a Mr. Coffee espresso maker for $39 at Target, and after a few experimental runs…I have finally been able to make a latte just as good as Starbuck’s (to me anyway). Just make sure you buy a seperate frothing pitcher (I just use a ceramic measuring cup, but the frothing arm is short…so I have trouble getting in close enough). Other than that,I think it’s a great buy. 10 latte’s later, I have my money’s worth out of it.
September 21st, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Confused: u can buy a simple french press and a handy frother and then u can make a good latte already.u just need to buy coffee beans and ask them to grind it for you in french press setting.ask me if u need more help.
November 14th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Thanks guys!
Lots of good info.
I went to a starbuck with a girl i just met.
And i had never heard of word latte before.
When i blurted out latte coffee, she thought i was so stupid.
Now I finally feel somewhat vindicated.
Thanks for the good tips
December 28th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Proper good website – thanks
January 2nd, 2010 at 5:38 pm
I had a milk frother for Christmas. It’s literally a glass jug with a cafetiere type plunger which you pump up and down to froth your hot milk. Bit of a cheat, but it does make a lovely frothy latte when added to an espresso.
January 6th, 2010 at 1:41 am
I just received a Mr Coffe Expresso Capuccino maker for Christmas. The instructions did not tell me to put more water in the machine after you make the expresso. Written in China but if you look at the instructions again! you will see the amount of water to put in to make the capuccino. I have made several but not there yet. Getting better all the time. Think I am going to love it.
January 10th, 2010 at 5:25 am
Today I made the perfect capuccino. Practiced, and practiced but found that I could use a small stainless steel jug (pitcher) that made it froth much better than plastic or anything else I tried. This was the Mr Coffee Express Capuccino maker given to me as a gift from Walmart $29.95.
January 17th, 2010 at 10:01 am
I just started working in a cafe, and they told me the only difference between a latte and cappuccino is the amount of froth?
is this right?
does this mean we can make both these drinks at the same time, but just by adding more froth on the cappuccino?
Also, is there a special technique to pour milk into these 2 different coffes?
thanks!
February 8th, 2010 at 5:14 am
Does anyone know if you can use the expresso grinds more than once. If so, how does it affect taste, etc.
February 8th, 2010 at 5:16 am
Does anyone know if you can use the expresso grinds more than once. If so, how does it affect taste,etc.
February 18th, 2010 at 6:07 am
nope. if you’re using machine as soon as the coffee liquid turns golden then that’s the end of those grinds. if you ‘attempt’ to use it again you get water with a hint of coffee flavour worse than instant coffee
PS I pressed latte on a coffee machine in Italy and got warm milk 
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:08 am
When I add cinnamon to my milk froth, it works well. However, when I add cocoa it destroys the foam within a few seconds. Is there a type of fat-free cocoa that will not cause this?
April 7th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
I mixed coffee with few tablespoon cocoa plus cream OR REGULAR MILK IT SAVES MONEY ALOT
JUST5 Taste like cappuccino
April 15th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
At last, a clear description of the difference in making a cappuccino and cafe latte. Thanks
April 25th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Excuse my ignorance but is there a coffee bean especially for Espresso and how fine do you grind it?
May 7th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
If you are asking about coffee beans for Espresso, you can check out JJ Beans. They have great beans for Espresso. As for how fine you grind it, it depends on how you brew it.
June 16th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Thanks guys. You have helped me a lot. I am a Hospitality professional but I didn’t know so much before. Thanks once again.
August 20th, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Hey guys, thanks for the great tips! I have a problem with my cappuccino maker (steaming apparatus)…it seems to only heat up the milk not froth it. Any ideas of what is going on or how I clean it thoroughly?