A guide to Latte Art – Free Pour
The milk
You need cold and fresh milk. Most people prefer full fat milk for Latte Art but it is really up to you, if you use a right technique then it doesn’t make too much difference. Just make sure that the milk is fresh and straight out of the fridge. Do not expose it to heat or light before you steam it.
Never use the same milk again when you are working on Latte Art.
The jug
Use a stainless steel jug with a narrow spout. Make sure that the jug is cold and clean before use. Fill up the jug with enough milk for your cup and make sure that you have enough milk so you have time to texture the milk. Too less milk will cause the milk to heat up too quick so a little bit more milk is better. Do not worry about the wastage too much.
Thermometer
Use a thermometer that has a clip to attach to the jug. The thermometer should have a good size so you can easily read it. Make sure that the thermometer is adjusted right, you can do this by putting it in ice water and correcting the dial. Usually you can adjust the dial with a screw in the back. The best way to adjust your thermometer is to compare it with a digital probe. Do not place the thermometer in the dishwasher, the moisture will break your thermometer. It is also possible to judge the temperature of the milk by touch.
Steam Wand
Always make sure that you turn the steam on all the way. Purge the steam wand before use. This will clean it from any condensation. Do not turn the steam wand on before you insert it into the milk. Your steam should have a pressure of around 1 bar, the pressure is related to the temperature of the boiler. The more holes the steam tip has, the more steam power.
Espresso
The espresso is just as important as the milk. Make sure that the espresso is fresh and has a good thick and strong layer of crema. It becomes very difficult to create good Latte Art without good crema on your espresso.
Cup Size
It is probably easiest to use 1 oz of espresso in a 6-8 ounce cup. Use a cup that has a wide surface area to work with, usually a low cup with a large wide diameter.
Steaming Milk
Start with the steam wand inside the milk. Turn on the steam completely. Hold the jug with two hands. Slowly lower the jug until the tip of the steam wand breaches the surface of the milk. You should hear a sh-sh-sh sound (high chirping sound). Do this for only a few seconds, this is when you are forcing the bubbles in to the milk to create foam, it is called foaming or stretching. Be very careful when you lower the jug, you should not see any bubbles being formed. You should hear the foam being created but you should not see it. You only need to foam for a few seconds, do not make the mistake to foam too much. Do not foam over 40 degrees Celsius or 100 Fahrenheit.
Once you have enough foam insert the steam wand deeper into the milk. There is no need to move the jug up and down. You should have a whirlpool inside the jug, you are now texturing the milk. The milk is now twirling inside the jug and any bubbles that might be present will dissolve into the milk. Once you have reached about 60 to 65 degrees Celsius turn off the steam. Then take out the steam wand and clean it with a clean cloth.
Put the jug down with a slight tap on the work top. This will destroy any tiny bubbles that might have been visible on the surface. You should not have any more bubbles visible after this. If you do then you can gently tap the jug a few times on the counter to get rid of them. However, tapping the jug on the counter makes the foam thicker and is not advisable. If you foam and steam the milk with the right technique then you should not have to tap the jug on the counter.
Pour the milk as soon as possible. This is very important because the foam will start separating very quickly. Spin the milk around just before you pour to make sure that all the foam is mixed with the milk.
Pouring The Milk
We suggest that you steam the milk whilst the espresso is being brewed.
Start with the pour a little high. Once the cup is about half full lower the pour close to the crema and the foam should appear. Go from high to low and pour with a steady speed.
You should pour the milk as soon as possible. Hold the cup on it’s ear and slightly at an angle. Start pouring the milk slowly in to the crema. You do not want to pour to slowly, this will leave the foam behind in the jug. You also do not want to pour too quick because this will break the crema apart. Pour slowly in a few spots in the cup to break through the crema.
Start pouring the milk in to the back of the cup once the cup seems just more than half full. Now slowly but very steady move the pitcher from side to side. This is a wrist movement and should be done just slightly. The milk should not swing from side to side in the jug. Keep moving it side to side in one spot in the cup until you see the foam appearing. If you see this happening than you have cracked it!
Once you see the foam break through the crema you can start pouring patterns.
Rosetta / Leaf
Move the jug side to side until you see the foam appearing on the surface. Keep moving the jug side to side until you see a pattern appear. Now slowly move the jug backwards whilst still moving it side to side. When you have reached the end of the cup move the jug in a quick straight line through the pattern.
Quick movements from side to side will create a rosetta with lots of leafs. Slow movements from side to side will create less and thick leaves.
Heart
Move the jug side to side in one spot in the cup. Keep doing this until you get a big circle of crema. Slightly move the jug forward just a bit. Then keep pouring the milk on the big spot of foam until the cup is almost full. Finally move the jug in a quick straight line forward to finish of your heart.
Time To Practise
I have never met anybody who does Latte Art the first go. So don’t worry if you can’t do it straight away. It takes quite a bit of practise but if you stick to the right rules anybody can do it! Have fun!
September 21, 2007 at 9:47 pm
hiya youri…latte art is definatly harder than it looks, although i think there could be more ideas ( says me, who cant even foam milk). i just wanted to thank your for the training today..it was really really good and i guess showed us that being a barista can be a lot of fun aswell as being your job, thanks alot… keep up the good work, daniel clough.
ps. your website is well good (how did you do it?)!
September 22, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for the reply. It was good fun indeed! Especially the blind latte art.
There are a lot more patterns out there but I tend to stick to the most popular ones. The website is simply made with WordPress, all the credit goes towards them.
I’ll see you next week. Keep up the good work.
Youri
April 11, 2009 at 6:22 pm
can i just say that this has to be the best step-by-step guide about the actual frothing part that i have read. after months of trying – i read this guide and nailed it first time.
December 30, 2011 at 6:10 pm
Love it, thank you!
August 25, 2012 at 3:46 pm
This is really a good step by step guide to latte art..
I am very impressed by all the minute details that you managed to catch and list it out..
January 15, 2013 at 4:22 pm
can you show me how to draw an angry bird with latte art?
January 17, 2013 at 10:55 am
I’m a barista at nino’s coffee shop I need some help cos I’m going to the competition next month please help!
January 28, 2013 at 10:02 am
I have looked through many webpages on foaming milk in Google, but this has got to be the best – you’ve got the most important details here. Keep it up.
April 26, 2013 at 5:36 am
Hi,
Is it possible to create latte art with instant coffee (e.g. Nescafe Espresso) and using a hand frother? I do not have the capital to buy the entire machine (pretty much an amateur so yeah)
Thanks!
Cheers,
WY
May 2, 2013 at 7:13 pm
Hi, how do you know before you buy which steamer will be up to task? On the cheaper machines it can take well over a minute to heat and steam the milk, and the sales people can’t tell me how the more expensive machines might go. I see your comments about steam pressure and temperature of the boiler. What are the parameters for a fast good froth so I can look for the right machine?
May 22, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Well done! Perfect instructions! Everything is exact. I love latte art.
September 4, 2013 at 11:44 pm
I’m not a barista but I do appreciate a good coffee, especially with a latte art as beautiful as those shown above. I’ve always wondered they created something like that. I just have to say that your article is one of the easiest guide I’ve read so far and it makes me want to try latte art at the comfort of my home.
September 29, 2013 at 5:40 pm
Thank you much for this tutorial, I too have been trying to make decent foam in my milk for a long time, and with your guide, I finally managed.
October 3, 2013 at 8:17 am
this whole site nails it
November 7, 2013 at 1:03 am
Seems like u truly fully understand a great deal pertaining to this
specific issue and it all exhibits through this particular post, given the name “A guide to Latte Art –
Free Pour | Coffee Info”. Thank you ,Michell
December 1, 2013 at 10:02 am
Very insightful
December 18, 2013 at 5:27 pm
Wow this is a brilliant guide. I follow this step by step and it works! Thanks!
July 15, 2014 at 5:25 pm
thank you for the guidelines now i can do the perfert rosetta
November 24, 2014 at 11:56 am
I think these require more documentation on the milk compounds and its effect on frothing..
Discuss about the surfactants and hydrophyllic properties of milk please….
Discuss the about the wands… about maintaining the wands… too…
And it’ll be a 120% better article.. 😉
December 7, 2014 at 10:39 pm
very good
December 23, 2014 at 2:03 pm
I don’t know that I’ve ever seen the heart done perfectly.
January 21, 2015 at 12:09 pm
Thank you so much for this wonderful lesson… i love to make it…!! thanks…!!
March 20, 2015 at 10:37 am
Great information love this !
March 23, 2015 at 6:57 pm
I liked the love cup of coffe thanks for the article.
April 25, 2015 at 1:40 pm
I live for my coffee and I can’t thank you enough for one of the best step by step guides to Latte Art…my wife loves you for this.