Learning the tricks of Latte Art
Picture this: you walk into a café and order a flat white. The barista sets down your cup of coffee just as you asked: espresso with steamed milk on top. Now let’s make a few adjustments and rewind: you walk into a café and order a flat white. The barista sets down your cup of coffee just as you asked: espresso with steamed milk, only the milk foam has been carefully crafted into the form of an elegant rosetta. Does one coffee taste better than the other? Not necessarily. But did one make you smile a bit more? We hope so.
Does one coffee taste better than the other? Not necessarily. But did one make you smile a bit more? We hope so.
The art of creating designs and textures on coffee with steamed milk dates back to the 1980s. While no one really knows who the first person was to try their hand at latte art, there is one thing we know for sure: there’s nothing better than the union of perfectly textured milk with high-quality espresso. But how does it work? The secret is in the science of the milk. Nespresso creatista coffee machine milk frother image Heating cold milk quickly through the injection of steam reorganises proteins in the milk which gives it the perfect texture for latte art Through the injection of steam, the milk not only heats up but the proteins present in the milk reorganise and help stabilise air bubbles, creating a certain texture that is ideal for art on your espresso. But let’s be honest, all of these designs can be quite tricky, particularly as they require perfectly texturized milk, which is why latte art has always been the playground exclusive to the highly skilled baristas outfitted with expensive machinery and tools. But what if we told you that all of that has changed? That you can have a cup of coffee every morning that not only tickles your taste buds but also your eyes?
But what if we told you that all of that has changed? That you can have a cup of coffee every morning that not only tickles your taste buds but also your eyes?
We’ve come up with a few “hacks” that can elevate your coffee game and ensure a stylish cup each time. First, with Nespresso’s Creatista, every pretense is lifted and you become the Barista. We’ve equipped the Creatista with a convenient digital interface that guides you step-by-step to make your desired coffee. We’ve also partnered with Breville to bring advanced milk-texturing technology that ensures the perfect consistency to start creating. We also always have our full range of Aeroccino machines, which are a convenient and versatile way to get that flawless froth.
And to really ensure you get that perfect rosetta, we spoke to Sacha, one of our experienced Swiss Nespresso boutique baristas. Here’s what he had to say about making your milky masterpieces at home:
1.Starting out with cold milk is key because it allows time to texturize the milk before it gets too hot. A milk that is room temperature or already warm will achieve the cut-off temperature too soon and the milk will not have the time to texturize properly.
2. If you use a more intense espresso there will be more color contrast for the latte art, but go with your personal preference (for a dark-roasted coffee milk recipe use coffees like Ristretto for a more milky recipe with caramel undertones use something like Volluto.
3. It’s always useful to stir the milk before pouring so the textured milk will remain homogenous.
4. Start the pour high above the cup to allow the milk to reach below the espresso, then bring the jug closer to the cup to begin your design.
We hope Sacha’s tips, paired with our short online video tutorials as well as plenty of practice will lead to some creative coffee masterpieces of your own. Finally, you are the artist, and the coffee your canvas.
Finally, you are the artist, and the coffee your canvas.
