If you've never poured any kind of latte art before but think it's something you'd like to try, it's a fascinating new world to enter.

However, with so many designs to choose from and so many complex and at times complex directions to follow, producing your first poor may seem like a far-fetched dream right away.

That's why we're here today to give you a quick and easy rundown of the three most important steps in creating beautiful latte art.

 

Step 1: Correctly Frothing Your Milk

The first and most critical step in creating outstanding latte art is to properly prepare the milk. Your latte art will be sub-par (at best) if you don't have flawless foam, and the beverage you make won't taste as wonderful as you'd like. First and foremost, prepare the pitcher you'll be working with.

You'll want to select the nicest milk frothing jug you can find for latte art. Before using their jugs, many baristas cool them for about 30 seconds. This provides you with two significant advantages. It lowers the chance of overheating, which is always a good thing. It also allows you to steam the milk for a little longer, which makes working with the crema a lot easier.

Pour in the amount of milk that you'll need for your chosen design.

If you're just getting started, a thermometer might help you keep an eye on the milk while it's steaming to avoid scalding. The key is to maintain it as close to the boiling point as possible without burning it.

When you're ready, insert the steam wand into the milk until it reaches the bottom of your pitcher. You'll also want to progressively elevate the steam wand towards the surface when you turn on the steam. Once it's out, keep it about a centimetre away from the surface and keep an eye on it for any bubbles or stretching. Smooth, velvety milk, not bubbling foam, is what you're aiming for here.

Insert the steam wand into the milk again, at the bottom of the pitcher, once the milk reaches roughly 37 ° C. However, gently drop it along the pitcher's side and rotate it counterclockwise. Continue doing so until the milk reaches a temperature of 65 to 68 degrees Celsius. Instead of large bubbles, you want to observe tiny bubbles (micro foam) forming.

Remove the wand and turn off the steam once the milk has reached the desired temperature.

You'll want to give the milk a good hearty swirl for around 30 seconds at this stage. If any larger bubbles appear, knock the jug on the bench a few times before swirling again. This improves the texture of the milk, which has a significant impact on the quality of your designs as well as the taste.

 

 

 

Step 2: Prepare Your Espresso shot

It's time to start running your coffee shots after you've frothed your milk.

We won't go into great length about how to properly prepare espresso shots because it's a science, and nearly every barista has their own slightly modified version.

Pour it into your favourite coffee cup or a beverage container with a large open mouthpiece once you've pulled your shots.

Keep in mind that after you've poured the espresso, you'll need to start pouring the milk within 10 seconds to make the design, or it won't look right.

 

 

 

Step 3 - Pouring your design

While the specifics of the pour for each design differ to some extent, here are some general guidelines to bear in mind:

• Start pouring a few inches away from the cup and keep pouring until the cup is about halfway full.
• Once the cup is about halfway full, gradually lower the spout of the pitcher to get it closer to the crema without touching it.
• Pour the transitional pour at a consistent, steady speed, as pouring too quickly may break the crema layer, while pouring too slowly would leave all of the froth in the pitcher.
• Don't be afraid to hold the cup at an angle.
• Make sure all motions are smooth; any rapid movement will damage the design and leave you with a big mess to clean up.

Self-Reflection

Fantastic! If you've followed the instructions to this point, you'll have everything that you need to create some genuinely Instagram-worthy creations.

Take into account that you'll need to practise each of the steps a lot to get the hang of it and discover the ideal ratio for your pouring motions and pace.

However, at the end of the day, you're well on your way to becoming an expert barista.

 

So keep going, and good luck!