DIY Unique Fall Lattes

Before we break into the recipes, let’s go over the two pillars of every latté: espresso and milk steamed and foamed.

Espresso

The bean. 

The whole bean. While espresso roasts exist you can actually make espresso from any type of coffee bean, the lighter the roast the better (contrary to the assumption that darker roasts contain more caffein).

The grind. 

Ideally, you want to use a conical burr grinder, which run about $100. Another option is a manual burr grinder, which you can find for $30. If you use a blade grinder, which is probably the most common household coffee grinder, just know that your espresso won’t possess that magical flavor. For a morning cup of joe, the blade grinder gets the job done, but espresso is fussy, the grind must be consistent or else the genie won’t come out of the lamp.

The brew.

Method 1 — At about $20, you have the mocha pot. This small, angular, brewer looks rather like the proverbial genie lamp from the aforementioned metaphor, and it’s ready to grant your first wish, assuming that wish is for a single shot of espresso. Unscrew the top from the bottom, making two chambers, and remove the brewing basket. Fill the basket to the top with your consistently ground beans. Fill the bottom chamber with hot water, replace the brew basket, and screw the top chamber back in place. With the mocha pot completely reassembled with the coffee and water inside, place it on a stove top burner on medium-high heat, and make sure the lid is closed. Brew for 1–2 minutes, and serve. The heat and pressure from the bottom chamber actually brews the coffee up into the top chamber. Equal parts culinary and mad science, you get to feel like a diabolical chef. It’s a fascinating little trinket 

Method 2 - The AeroPress. You want 20g. of finely, and consistently, ground coffee, and 55g. of hot water just shy of boiling. Press down on the AeroPress, and presto! you have a shot of espresso. 

Method 3 — This is probably the fussiest method but this is espresso and we’re gunning for the exquisite here. The manual press. You can find these for about $140. We’ve talked about grind size and consistency, and with this method, those factors are crucial. Too coarse and the water passes through the ground beans too quickly leaving you with a weak espresso. Too fine and the grounds will pack together making it impossible to use the manual press. Finding just the right grind is probably going to be a process of trial and error. Fussy ‘cause it’s esquisite. The ballpark is a grind between 1 and 2 on a conical burr grinder, tamped down, water at 200°f., and pressed down on the lever with about 30lbs. of force. 

Steamed and Foamed Milk

The best milk for steaming and foaming is whole milk, but if you want to go non-dairy, your best option is oat milk.

Method 1 — The milk frother. An automatic milk frother is very easy to use, only runs about $40, and will change your life. You’re gonna be putting fluffy milk suds on everything: chocolate milk, ice cream, cake, carrots. Oh yeah. Put in the desired measure of milk and push the button. It’ll stop when it’s done.

Method 2 — The French press. No it’s not a newspaper. The French press is great for brewing coffee, but it also works well for frothing milks. In a saucepan, bring the milk of your choice up to 140°f., pour it into the French press, and get to pumping. Work the metal filter up and down steadily for about a minute or until you see the milk has reached the desired consistency of froth. Let stand for about 30 seconds, and pour. 

With these pillars in place, let's get into some fun modifications to this classic drink. So, in no particular order, here are some lattés in delightful autumn styles to accommodate your plate of pumpkin bread. You won’t find pumpkin spice on this page, but you will find it on our hearts.

Apple Cider Latté 

Makes 1 serving.

Apple cider, the only drink so good they named a fruit after it. Sweet notes of apple, robust flavors coffee, rich tastes of milk, this drink is like a fresh breath of crisp autumn air. And this apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as a touch of maple syrup brings the whole flavor profile around to a delightful sweet and savory close. 

What you need:

3 ounce of hot apple cider

2 shots of Espresso

1 Tbsp of maple syrup

1/2 cup of milk

What you need to do:

Heat all of the ingredients separately, and combine after, to avoid curdling. Make the espresso using one of the methods listed above. Add the hot apple cider to the hot coffee, then pour in the hot frothy milk you made using one of the above methods.

Top with Fall inspired whipped cream 

1 cup of heavy whipping cream 

1 Tbsp. of sugar 

1/4 tsp. of cinnamon

1/4 tsp. of nutmeg

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and whip until you make stiff peaks (about 2 minutes).

Maple Bourbon Caffé Latte

Bourbon isn’t just a county in Kentucky.  Made from corn, stored in oak casks, this robust guzzle is a perfect compliment to a the dark and earthy notes we enjoy in a cup of coffee. From maple syrup to whipped cream, this hot cocktail relishes in rich and dark flavors; and with flavors like maple, oak, and nutmeg, this coffee is like a painting of a southern forest you can drink.  

Makes 4 servings.

What you need:

1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

4 tbsp. of maple syrup

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

3 cups of coffee (stronger blends pair better with bourbon)

3 tbsp. of bourbon

1 cup of milk, frothed

Add whipping cream, your nutmeg, and 2 tbsp. of your maple syrup to a large mixing bowl and whisk until you make stiff peaks (about 2 minutes).

In a liquid measuring cup, add the coffee, bourbon, frothed milk, and remaining maple syrup. Distribute into coffee cups, top with whipped cream, and finish with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg and cinnamon.

Gingerbread Spiced Caffé Latte

Makes 4 servings.

With ginger, allspice, and everything nice, this scrumptious quaff puts you hot on the trail of that pesky Gingerbread Man. If this taste gives haste to your chase, then:

Season those grounds with the fragrance of autumn, 

Fluff milk like a cloud, fill the cup to the bottom. 

Mr. Ginger can be found, running him down is the problem. 

So, give this scent to the hounds and go ‘till you’ve got’em. 

The key to this drink is adding the spices to the grounds before the brew begins.

What you need:

A pot of coffee

1 tbsp. of cinnamon

1/2 tsp. of ground ginger

1/2 tsp. of ground allspice

1/2 tsp. of ground cloves

1 cup of frothed milk

What you need to do:

Mix the spices into your coffee grounds before brewing. And once brewing has finished, add your frothed milk and top with a pinch of nutmeg.

Logger Latte

Sorry, I seem to have misplaced the recipe for this Kidd Coffee exclusive drink. I think I left it at your nearest Kidd Coffee. I’ll see you there!