Latte Art
Latte Art (from Italian latte , milk and English art , art) is the name given to the creative design of the milk foam surface of espresso beverages with graphic motifs such as leaves, flowers, hearts, abstract geometric motifs and much more. Most of the time, the latte art is designed by a barista . There are also regular championships in the preparation of latte art.
Manufacturing
The latte art is created either by skillfully pouring the milk (by using the flow force of the milk foam when pouring it) or by using aids such as stencils, chocolate sauces and pens, sometimes also by a combination of both variants.
equipment
The following utensils are required for the art of milk frothing: espresso machine or jug, milk frother, milk jug and a cup / glass. In the case of complex patterns, larger cups / glasses are often used in order to have enough space for the decorations. For particularly fine structures, a needle (Latte Art Pen / Penna barista) is sometimes used, with which the pattern can be finely drawn into the crema. However, this technique is often interpreted by critics as a sign of a lack of professionalism.
preparation
The right consistency, density and temperature of the milk foam and the crema of the espresso are particularly important . The milk frother of an espresso machine is very suitable for this. After pouring it into a jug, the milk foam is poured onto the espresso. The foam is briefly dipped into the espresso and then reappeared. It is crucial that the foam gets under the crema. The professional technique requires a lot of practice and is given by the correct swirl when pouring the milk into the coffee. The decorative patterns are created by moving the milk foam.
Picture gallery
A flower, a very popular motif
Different examples of latte art
Latte art, various decorations on the milk foam of a hot drink
Creation of a geometrical figure using chocolate sauce and a stick
