I have been watching a lot of how-to videos for making a latte recipe without an espresso machine. Most people recommend a Moka Pot as the next best thing. However, there is debate about how to properly use a Moka Pot and whether or not it is even true espresso. In short, it is in the middle ground between strong coffee and true espresso.
I wanted to give this latte recipe a try using a Moka Pot instead of buying an espresso machine since Joel doesn't drink coffee and I will be the only one using it.
Using a Moka Pot seems to be the next best thing to buying and investing in a machine, but I do still want to buy one in the future. For now, this is a happy medium that gives me the opportunity to try latte recipes at home.
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What is espresso?
Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee made from regular coffee beans. The difference is that it is made with high pressure causing a stronger caffeine flavor in a smaller amount. Espresso is made in small doses to be used in drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, and milk-based drinks.
What is in a latte recipe?
The word latte means milk in Italian. A latte drink can be described as a “milk coffee” because it is made using a strong form of coffee and hot steamed milk.
Can you make a true latte recipe with a Moka Pot?
You can make a very tasty drink that will give you the same cozy feeling as drinking a latte from an espresso machine. The difference is that you can’t make the espresso at the same high pressure that you can with a machine. Without the high pressure, you get less of the Crema which is the golden foam on top of espresso that forms when truly making espresso the correct way. However, this drink is so tasty and you can easily perfect your at-home latte making by practicing with your Moka Pot.
How to Make a Honey Cinnamon Latte With a Moka Pot
You'll Need:
- Quality dark coffee or espresso - I use Black Cat by Intelligentsia
- 1/2 cup choice of milk
- Honey
- Ground Cinnamon
- Coffee grinder
- Moka Pot
- Frothing wand
- Small pan to steam the milk
- Milk pitcher (optional)
- Mug of choice
Moka Pot Tips:
1. Use fresh coffee beans and grind them before each cup if you don’t make them every day.
2. Use warm water when filling the bottom pot of your Moka Pot. There is debate about this and it seems like an extra step, but giving your Moka Pot additional help with the water temperature allows it to make your espresso without having to “cook” the coffee creating a bitter taste. I tried it both ways and I prefer the warm water method. I actually bring a pot of water to a boil and use that when adding water to the Moka Pot.
3. Be sure to properly clean your Moka Pot with hot water and no soap. You do not want any leftover espresso or coffee grinds left in the machine as it can create a build-up causing a bitter taste in your next cup.
Watch my latte recipe reel for making delicious coffee drinks at home with a Moka Pot!
Honey Cinnamon Latte
Honey cinnamon latte recipe made using a Moka Pot
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon of honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup of oat milk
- Espresso made in Moka Pot (see directions)
Instructions
- Follow the box instructions for rinsing your Moka Pot before your first use.
- Use fresh coffee beans and grind them with a coffee grinder until they are smooth, but not too fine. You will want a slightly coarser grind than that used for making espresso with a machine.
- Warm about a cup of water over the stove until it is barely boiling. You can use warm water from the sink and skip boiling if needed. The reason for using hot water is to try to get the espresso powder as hot as possible in a short amount of time without burning it. The longer it heats up over the stove, the more you risk a bitter flavor.
- Pour your water into the bottom of the Moka Pot until it is leveled just under the "screw" or pressure valve.
- Grab your espresso basket that looks like a filter and spoon in your slightly coarsely ground espresso beans. Level it off with your finger without packing it down. You do not want to tamper the grounds for a Moka Pot as you would with an espresso machine.
- Place the basket into the Moka Pot.
- Screw on the top pour canister and be careful not to touch the Moka Pot with your bare hands if you did use hot water. The pot heats up quickly.
- Bring your pot to a boil over medium-high heat. I place mine on heat setting 6, but every stove varies. I have an electric stove, not gas.
- Bring your milk to a simmer over medium-low heat while you wait for your espresso.
- Once the Moka Pot is spitting liquid, wait for the gurgling sound and then remove it from the heat. Leave it for another 30 seconds to continue brewing. This will create an espresso "shot", so you don't want the entire canister to fill up and water down the flavor.
- Meanwhile, add your honey, about a tablespoon, into your mug of choice.
- When your espresso is done, pour it over the honey into the mug.
- Once your milk is steaming over the stove, either pour it into a frother pitcher or leave it in the pan. I prefer a frothing pitcher because it allows me to froth the milk more easily and make a cuter latte, but a pan works just as great if you don't care about practicing latte art.
- Using a frothing wand, place it into the milk then turn it on and allow it to froth your milk for thirty seconds to one minute.
- When the milk has doubled in size and foamed, slowly pour it into your espresso working in a back and forth motion with your pan/pitcher.
- Dust the top of your latte with cinnamon and enjoy!
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