Creating latte art is a real form of art, and like all forms of art, it takes patience, a steady hand and a good understanding of the technique involved. From the milk to the technique, Emma Harrison, barista at Nora’s Fish Creek Inn, gives some important tips for creating beautiful latte art. Careful though—you may end up with a cup of coffee that appears too pretty to drink!
Preparing to Pour
“Good latte art starts with good milk, which should have the consistency of wet paint or melted ice cream. The volume of the milk should increase by about 30% during steaming,” Harrison says. She emphasizes that it’s important to avoid pausing at any point during this process, as milk quickly separates from microfoam. This can be remedied to some extent by swirling the milk and microfoam back together. Finally, “Tap the cup of espresso against the counter to pop any bubbles in the crema, and swirl briefly to achieve an even texture without dissipating the crema.”
Pouring the Background
“Tilt the cup about 45 degrees and pour into the center of the espresso from a height of about ten centimeters, with a slow flow rate of about ten milliliters per second,” Harrison advises. Note that cups with rounded sides and a wide brim are best for creating latte art, and the stream of milk should be about the width of a pencil. She adds, “when the cup is 30 to 50 percent full, stop pouring. The less you fill the cup at this stage, the larger the latte art will be. At a minimum, the flat bottom of the cup should be covered when it is tilted as far as it can go without spilling.” If the surface appears marbled, swirl or whisk it briefly to achieve an even color.
Beginning Pours
You have to walk before you can run, and in a similar way, it’s best to start off pouring simple designs in your latte art. Soon enough, you’ll be advancing to seasonal shapes and designs.
- Circle: Tilt the cup so that the liquid is nearly touching the rim and place your pitcher just above the rim. The goal is to get the tip of the pitcher as close to the surface of the latte as possible. With the tip of the pitcher pointed just above the center of the espresso, begin pouring with a faster flow rate of about 20 milliliters per second. The point where the milk enters the latte will be the top of the design. Continue to reduce the tilt of the cup to prevent spilling. If a white circle does not appear in the cup, make sure you are as close to the surface as possible, and increase your flow rate.
- Heart: When you have a circle that is your desired size, and the cup is almost full, reduce the flow rate back to ten milliliters per second. Raise the pitcher to about ten centimeters above the cup, and use the milk stream to cut through the center of the design. Stop just inside the rim of the cup that is furthest away from you. If the cup is not full, keep pouring from the same distance into the same spot until it is.
- Tulip: Begin by pouring a circle, pushing your pitcher slightly forward (toward the bottom of the design). Once the circle is the desired size, stop pouring. Note that smaller circles will create more thin layers, while larger circles will create fewer thick layers. Once the circle is the desired size, stop pouring. Move the tip of the pitcher back to just above the center of the latte. Pour another circle, also pushing it slightly forward. Repeat until the cup is almost full. Then, slow your flow rate, raise the pitcher, and cut through the center of the design.
- Rosetta: Begin by pouring a circle, gently wiggling the pitcher about one centimeter from left to right. Once the base has appeared, continue wiggling, while pulling the pitcher backward towards the top of the cup. When you reach the top, slow your flow rate, raise the pitcher, and cut through the center of the design.
On to Etching
“You can manipulate the shape you have poured and add smaller details by cutting a coffee stirrer at a diagonal to produce a fine point,” Harrison explains. “This instrument can be used like a paintbrush by dipping it into the leftover milk or the darker background of the latte.” At this point, use your imagination to get creative with latte art!
