Barista Latte Recipe

Preheat and clean: Turn on your espresso machine and allow it to fully heat (about 10–15 minutes). Purge the steam wand and run a short shot to clear the group head.

Weigh and grind: Weigh 18 g of fresh espresso beans. Grind to a fine espresso grind (slightly finer than table salt). Adjust grind to target a 25–30 second extraction.

Dose and tamp: Place the 18 g ground coffee into a clean portafilter basket. Distribute evenly, then tamp with firm, level pressure to create a smooth puck.

Brew espresso: Lock the portafilter into the group head and start extraction. Aim for 36 ml of espresso in 25–30 seconds. Stop the shot when the volume and timing are reached. If using a double shot basket, this yields a double shot (about 36 ml).

Set aside the brewed espresso in the serving cup so it stays hot while you steam milk.

Prepare milk pitcher: Pour 8 oz cold whole milk into a metal steaming pitcher. If you want a slightly larger drink or need more microfoam for latte art, keep the optional extra 2 oz available.

Purge steam wand: Briefly purge the steam wand for 1–2 seconds to remove condensation.

Position wand and create stretch: Submerge the steam wand tip just below the milk surface and angle the pitcher slightly. Turn on steam and lower the pitcher slowly so the tip sits at the surface; you should hear a gentle, steady hissing/screaming sound for 3–6 seconds to introduce air and stretch the milk (~30–40% volume increase if cold milk).

Full submersion and texture: After stretching, raise the pitcher so the wand tip is deeper in the milk to create a whirlpool. Keep steaming until the pitcher is too hot to touch comfortably (approx. 60–65°C / 140–149°F). Aim for silky, glossy microfoam with no large bubbles.

Wipe and purge wand: Turn off steam, remove wand from milk, immediately wipe with a clean damp cloth and purge for 1 second to clear milk residue.

Polish milk: Tap the pitcher gently on the counter to break any remaining big bubbles and swirl to integrate foam and liquid milk for a smooth texture.

Optional sweetening: If using sugar or syrup, add it to the preheated serving cup with the espresso and stir briefly to dissolve.

Pour milk: Hold the cup with the espresso at a slight angle. Begin pouring steamed milk from 2–3 inches above the cup to integrate milk and espresso. As the cup fills and the crema rises, bring the pitcher spout close to the surface and pour with a gentle wiggle to create a small latte art pattern if desired.

Serve and garnish: Once poured, if desired, dust with 0.25 tsp cocoa powder or a pinch of cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Cleanup: Rinse and wipe the steam wand again, rinse the portafilter and discard used puck, and wipe down the machine area.