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Ingredients
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Espresso
Milk & Serving
Method
Espresso
- 1
Preheat and prepare
Preheat your espresso cup by rinsing it with hot water or placing it briefly under the group head. This helps maintain the temperature of the drink when you pour the espresso and milk.
- 2
Grind and dose
Grind 18 g of Illy espresso beans to an espresso-fine grind. Use a consistent, fine grind suitable for your machine and portafilter basket size (single/double basket).
- 3
Distribute and tamp
Evenly distribute the ground coffee in the portafilter basket, then tamp with steady, level pressure to create a flat, compact puck. Wipe any loose grounds from the rim of the portafilter.
- 4
Purge group head
Run a short burst of water through the group head (1–2 seconds) to clear old grounds and stabilize temperature.
- 5
Pull the double espresso
Lock the portafilter into the group head and start extraction immediately. Aim for a yield of about 60 ml (roughly 2 espresso shots) in 25–30 seconds. Stop the shot when you reach ~60 ml. Place the preheated cup under the spout to collect the espresso. Knock out the puck and rinse the portafilter.
Milk & Assembly
- 6
- 7
Purge and position steam wand
Purge the steam wand for 1–2 seconds to remove condensate. Submerge the tip of the wand just below the milk surface, slightly off-center, so it introduces air at the start and then creates a whirlpool for texturing.
- 8
Steam milk to microfoam
Turn on steam and introduce a little air for 1–3 seconds to create microfoam, then lower the pitcher so the wand tip is deeper and continue steaming to create a smooth, silky texture. Heat the milk to approximately 60–65°C (140–149°F). Aim for velvety, small-bubbled foam (no large bubbles).
- 9
Finish steaming and clean wand
Turn off steam before removing the wand to avoid splatter. Wipe the wand immediately with a damp cloth and purge briefly to clear milk residue.
- 10
- 11
Combine espresso and milk (extra steamed milk)
Place the cup with the double espresso on the counter. Begin pouring the milk from about 8–10 cm above the cup to incorporate milk quickly, then lower the pitcher and pour more steadily to create a consistent latte. Because this is 'extra steamed milk,' pour most of the steamed milk in — aim to fill the 11–12 oz cup about 3/4 to nearly full, leaving a small cap of foam on top. If desired, finish with a small wiggle to create simple latte art.
- 12
