Surely you all know latte art. These are pictures painted in a cup with espresso using soft milk foam. That's why everyone in cafes has a flat white, which should definitely not miss the picture. Would you also like to learn how to paint in coffee? In addition to training and patience, it also requires proper equipment, but the results are worth it. So if you have a coffee machine with a steam jet at home (you can't do without it) and a few other little things, after reading this article, you can start. But now we will try to show you the process of achieving the first latte art.
What is needed for latte art?
The picture can only be painted in espresso with well-frothed milk. To do this, you logically need a steam jet. Milk heated and frothed in any other way will be difficult. Fortunately, many of today's coffee machines already have a steam jet.
It is necessary to have on hand for proper handling of milk stainless steel or other teapot with a beak intended for whipping. You just pour a little milk into it (ideally full-fat for beginners, it behaves best), which you then use to steam.
For comfortable latte art, it is good to use wider cups. Once you have an exercise, you will certainly be able to paint in a glass, as in many cafes. But in the beginning, you need to have enough space on the surface of the espresso so that you do not have to deal with excessive details and you are able to fully concentrate on the movement of the wrist with the kettle.
How to whip up the perfect milk?
This is sometimes a bigger science than latte art itself. The milk needs to be properly cooled. If you have it at room temperature, you will not be able to foam. However, if you have everything you need, you can start boldly.
- Let the coffee machine warm up and make an espresso in a wide cappuccino cup.
- Pour approximately 150 ml of cold and ideally whole milk into the jug.
- First turn on the steam wand to empty it to get residual water.
- After blowing, immerse the nozzle all the way to the bottom of the kettle and switch it on fully.
- Then, at an angle of about 45 degrees, gradually move the kettle lower and lower until it hisses. Attention! It must not splash, the steam would aerate the milk unhealthily.
- If you have a water thermometer, don't be afraid to use it and add it along with the milk to the jug at the beginning. The temperature of the perfect milk should be around 55-60 degrees. If you do not have a thermometer, check the boil with the hand provided under the kettle. It must not burn so that the milk is not destroyed by boiling. Switch off the steam wand when you no longer hold your hand on the stainless steel.
- Place the whipped milk jug on the table and swirl the surface to get rid of unwanted bubbles in the foam. That shouldn't be too much. If you find it too dense, pour it a little.
Once you have completed these seven seemingly challenging steps, you can embark on latte art. Keep moving with the kettle, the milk must be constantly connected with the foam.
How to proceed with the latte art itself?
The grip of the teapot is important. It is necessary to have maximum control under the milk stream. It must not be too aggressive or thin. The ideal grip is to hold the neck of the container with your thumb and forefinger and hold its ear with the middle finger, ring finger and little finger. But in this you will surely find your own style.
- phase
Hold the cup in the palm of your hand and tilt it towards the teapot. Try to reduce vibration. It is necessary to have your hands completely calm and relaxed. You should hit the middle of the espresso from a short distance with a gentle swirling stream of hot whipped milk. At this stage, the coffee brown level must be maintained, despite the milk being poured.
- phase
The cup is almost half full. If you have inadvertently managed to create some white spots on the surface, you can easily erase them by extending the flow of milk from the filling level. At this stage, it is still necessary to make the contents of the cup darker so that the latte art is then visible.
- phase
With only the last few inches left to pour, bring the beak of the kettle as close to the coffee surface as possible. When you finish this way, a dot will appear on the coffee. If you cross the dot with a thin stream of remaining milk over its entire width, a heart will form. These are the two simplest forms of latte art.
It worked se? Hooray three times! And if you don't despair, no barista was a latte art master right away. It takes time and hard training. You can also order from us kurz latte artuwhere we will guide you through everything. As soon as you know how to make a heart, you can start to improve in rosettes and then you may surprise swans. You have our trust.