If you’re working from home right now, there’s a good chance you’re missing your handcrafted daily lattes. Instead of longing for them each morning, you could make them yourself. Here’s how you can get your latte fix while working from home.
Espresso is coffee that’s made from finely ground beans. It also requires hot water to be pushed through those finely ground beans at a high pressure. If you want to make your own espresso at home, you’ll first need to grind coffee beans. To do this, you’ll need a coffee grinder.
Once you grind the beans, you can make the rest of the espresso on the stovetop using a stovetop espresso maker. This is a machine that’s small, durable, and simple to use. If you’re keen on making your espresso correctly, this is a tool that can get the job done without having to invest in an expensive espresso machine.
A latte is made with espresso and milk, which means you’ll need a way to steam or froth your milk at home. Luckily, this is pretty easy to do. All you need is a stovetop, a thermometer, and a microwave.
To steam your milk, simply pour the desired amount into a small saucepan and keep your eye on it. Ideally, you want to steam your milk to between 150 and 155°F. Keep an eye on the temperature and make sure the milk doesn’t boil. If you let the milk steam at a lower temperature over time, the milk will be sweeter.
To froth your milk, pour it into a mason jar (but leave room for it to froth). Screw on the lid and shake the jar until you see bubbles. This can take up to a minute, but you can shake for as long as you want to achieve your ideal frothiness. Then, take off the lid and microwave for 30 seconds. Once the microwave dings, you should have plenty of frothed milk waiting to top your latte.
One of the best parts of getting a latte is seeing the latte art the barista creates in your drink. You can create this art from home without needing any fancy tools. All you need is a toothpick.
When making your latte, take a scoop of froth and place it on top. Then, take the toothpick and draw what your heart desires. You can use chocolate syrup in your art, or even spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It may take a couple of tries, but before you know it, you’ll be able to create latte art in your sleep.
Just because your work arrangement changed doesn’t mean you have to part ways with your lattes. With a little time, effort, and creativity, you can still have a life full of lattes while working from home. Plus, by learning how to make them yourself, you’ll learn a new skill while saving money in the process. Talk about a win-win!