There's a saying in latte-making that if you want to make a nice latte, you should pour the milk into the espresso, not the other way around.
But what occurs when the process is reversed? You will get a different kind of latte: a layered latte.
To make a layered latte, you pour the espresso into a glass of milk. A perfectly layered coffee is impressive. The amazing visual effect makes coffee lovers crave coffee. Not only does it provide a taste sensation, but it also leaves a great visual memory.
To make a successful layered latte, you need to understand the principle behind its formation. It has been scientifically discovered that it is a process called double-diffusive convection, which is the same phenomenon that forms layers in the ocean.
In this process, when liquids of different temperatures and densities are poured together, they don't completely blend.
The warmer liquid causes the cooler, denser liquid to rise slightly, while the cooler, denser layer cools off some of the coffee in the less dense layer causing it to sink slightly.
The speed at which you pour the coffee is very important. It needs to be even and steady, not too fast or too slow, and this is a requirement that needs to be achieved through a long period of training.
If the espresso is poured into the milk too slowly, the denser fluid will mix too evenly with the less dense, and a layered latte will not be made.
Faster pouring speeds allow the denser fluid to impact the less dense fluid and trigger a rapid movement as the density equilibrium is established, resulting in the desired layering.
To make a layered latte, the following ingredients are needed:
- About 15g of coffee beans per person
- Iced milk
- A small amount of condensed milk
- A transparent and clean coffee cup (for better layering)
Procedures:
1. Grind the prepared coffee beans to coffee powder and then use a coffee machine to concentrate it.
2. Pour iced milk into a steel cup, add condensed milk, and stir well. Use a steam pipe on your coffee machine or a frother to make milk froth at about 55-65 degrees Celsius.
3. Pour frothed milk into your prepared clear coffee cup and add a small layer of soft milk foam on top. The milk should take up about 2/3 of the coffee cup, leaving room for layering.
4. Find a spoon that works well for you and place it on the edge of the coffee cup just above the top of the milk. Slowly and evenly pour the espresso into the coffee cup over the back of the spoon. Try to keep the flow of coffee thin.
5. When finished, add flavorings, sugar, or syrup to taste, stir and enjoy.
A beautifully layered latte is the result! If you prefer to add some ice on a hot summer day, you can do that too. Making a delightful coffee will also make you feel good, so try it out!
