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?
September 18th, 2010 at 2:40 am
getting ready for tomorrow, I have an interview at the coffee shop on campus. I have my own cappuccino machine at home and I do okay making it. I don’t go to the coffee shops 2 much so I am not up to date on all the new drinks, ect… So I was wonder if you could send me some 411 so that I can get ready to work here if I get hired that is. I am looking up some things tonight so that I can get some idea on the lingo. If you can send me something that I can print out and carry with me tomorrow that would be great. Thanks
December 24th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
For a cheap espresso machine, try the DeLonghi Retro B32. I just got one for Christmas and I absolutely LOVE it. My lattes taste just like Caribou’s, but it’s not $4 a cup!
December 26th, 2010 at 4:59 am
I just got the delonghi for christmas, i’m on like my 10th cup trying to master the foaming part. i have a feeling i’ll be up for awhile (lol), anyone wanna explain what i’m doing wrong? i only get a bit of foam, and it’s splattering everywhere making a mess. yummy, but not much foam. thanks!
February 25th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
this article was wrong on the type of milk to be used. regular whole milk makes the best foam and a better tasting latte. for laurae95531 you need to make a vortex while steaming the milk, this will create a nicely textured milk while collapsing all the giant bubbles.
February 28th, 2011 at 12:25 am
dramamine is the only one so far that seems to know what they are talking about! The article also instructs one to make a cappuccino incorectly. Simply put the “cappuccino” is in reallity only an extra foamy caffe-latte.
February 28th, 2011 at 12:42 am
Just to clarify, to make a proper cappuccino (named after the hair cut of the cappuccine monks) steam the milk making a whirlpool in center. Milk should double in volume and have a melted ice-cream appearance. Pour immediately, (no need for spoons) into your freshly pulled espresso. Pouring immediately will usually ensure you get the foam and milk together unless you pour too slowly. (practice makes perfect) The result should give you a cup of perfectly blended/swirled espresso & milk–yum!
March 29th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
the way i make cappuccino is to rinse the cup with hot water, froth the milk by creating a vortex with the steamer, make sure its(just below the surface but dont let large bubbles appear)double shot for a large single for a small, sprinkle cocoa powder on the crem before you pour the milk, NEVER FILL THE MILK JUG MORE THAN HALF WAY, 1/3 espresso 1/3 hot milk 1/3 micro foam
March 30th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
What about these frothers? No steam just froth and heat for hot or no heat for cold drinks. How are they for lattes and cappuccinos?
April 18th, 2011 at 1:58 pm
me too i’m a bit ignorant about the variety of coffee so thank you guys…. this could help me.
April 19th, 2011 at 10:54 pm
Ok…I’m not blonde…but I should be… I have a delonghi machine. Just got it today..does anyone have “Kindergarten” directions on how exactly make a flavored latte? No offense to the blondes..most of you are WAY smarter than me..
April 20th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
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April 21st, 2011 at 9:22 pm
help i just bought a delonghi coffee/cappuccino/espresso machine the BCO120T and cannot figure out how to use it how much milk and what kind…
May 14th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
I think the quantity of milk really depends on the taste of the person who’s going to have the cappuccino, however, too much milk will remove all the characteristics of coffee from you Cappuccino. Rather than just the milk, and coffee, Cappuccinos also differ on the way you mix them and why not, how you decorate your cup…
May 27th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
1st-it’s easiest to steam cream/milk with an Expresso Machine Wand. Immerse the wand into the center of the cup of cream or milk (turn on the steam-that heats up your liquid.) After a minute or so, the the liquid will be very hot, so you will carefully bob the Expresso Wand near then under the surface of the liquid-intentionally creating as much or as little of a froath or a foam as you’d like. Careful not to splatter yourself. Turn the Steam off. And immediately wipe the wand off, if you don’t it can clog. If it does, usually hot water, can help get it off, or a sterile hatpin used just for that.
LATTE: You can make chocolate Milk (or rice/almond/soy milk), Strawberry Milk or add a shot of Flavored Italian Syrup(s) to make it whatever Flavor you’d like. Then you’d Steam it, and leave it covered with a nice Froth. It’s drunk hot. (American’s are used to Cafe-Lattes: Which can be any Hot Coffee of the day (Half OR Two Thirds of the Liquid) to Steamed Milk (Half OR One Third)
CAPPUCCINO: Is ALWAYS one shot of Expresso. to two/thirds cup of Cream (milk OR rice/almond/soy milk) {If you add chocolate/cocoa to any java beverage–it makes it Mocha} Then you’d Steam it, and leave it covered with a nice Foam. It’s drunk hot.
*I keep my ‘milk/cream’ as cold as possible, because I don’t have an Expresso Machine Steam Wand. Then I use a held immersable blender and it gets my milk/cream foamed up, I add them to which ever Drink I’m serving, the best thing is, it cools it down a smidgen so it’s a drinking temperature.
July 24th, 2011 at 1:39 am
Hey Guys, can someone please teach me how to make those wonderful foam that covers starbucks coffee? Tried everything but no luck
@Leonel- fantastic work… I wish I knew how to make something like that
August 3rd, 2011 at 12:18 am
Trying to master this foam thing using a Morphy Richards Grande Cafe machine I received as a wedding gift over 10 years ago! Even when I get the milk to expand when steamed, it’s still pretty flat when I pour. Coffee tastes great and I’m cafined-out, won’t sleep tonight!
December 3rd, 2011 at 3:44 pm
I purchased a used krups fnd1 expresso w/o a user manual. Can anyone plz tell me the correct way to use it. I need help. LOL