Do you know what a latte is? What about a mocha? They're basically coffee with milk but it's not only that. Both drinks have their specific taste and one is actually made with chocolate and not only milk. Keep reading this article to find out what makes a mocha and what makes a latte.
What Is Latte?
In 1901, a coffee producer from Turin, Italy named Luigi Bezzera invented the latte machine. The latte was invented entirely by accident when he created a steam-driven milk frother to make coffee for his espresso machine. He showed the first latte coffee to a French journalist who reprimanded him, saying latte is milk and coffee while here you have milk and foam. Bezzera's inadvertent invention became so popular with the Italians that it came to be known as the caffe latte (coffee and milk).
Lattes have come to be referred to as one of the most popular variations on coffee in the world. It is made of roasted coffee beans being ground into powder, then water is pushed through them at a high pressure. It is one of the most popular variations on coffee, and billions of cups are consumed each day. A latte can either be served iced or hot, depending on the drinker's preference.
How Much Milk Is There In Latte?
Lattes are made of espresso (or Moka pot coffee) and milk, with the milk making up the majority of the drink. The perfect ratio of coffee to milk for a latte is one part coffee per five parts milk.
The original latte recipe says that you should use steamed milk at least on top. This is what gives your latte that soft foamy feeling. You can use regular hot milk in the drink itself as even if it is foamed, it’ll mix with the coffee.
How Do You Make Latte?
Making a latte is very simple, especially if you have an espresso machine with a steamer. You start off by making an espresso or a Moka pot coffee. Once you have your brew, it’s time for the milk. You should heat it up to 150 degrees F so you can get enough foam. Then it’s time to steam it if you have an espresso machine with a steamer. If you don’t you can use an electric frother or a whisk.
One of the most important things to remember when making a latte is to ensure that the milk is steamed correctly. It should be thick and creamy, with a layer of foam on top. Additionally, you can use a latte pitcher to help you achieve this effect. We’ve included a detailed recipe in the next paragraph.
What Is The Best Recipe for Latte?
There are many different recipes for a latte coffee, but one of the most popular is a latte made with two ounces of espresso and ten ounces of steamed milk.
So here is our favorite recipe:
- Make a cup of coffee.
- Heat up the milk to 150 degrees F.
- Steam the milk if your espresso machine has a steamer. If it doesn’t:
3.1 Use a frother. You can get one on Amazon for cheap. Once you have the frother, you simply froth the milk by moving it up and down and in circular motion. What you’re aiming for is small, even bubbles.
3.2. If you don’t have a frother, you can use a whisk. The idea is the same. You have to whisk the milk until you’re left with even bubbles. You should know that you’re probably not going to get as even and small bubbles as you would if using a frother.
4. Pour the frothed milk into the espresso from high above.
5. As you pour the milk into the espresso, start lowering the jug and steepening the pouring angle.
6. Enjoy your latte!
What Is Mocha Coffee?
A Mocha coffee is very similar to a latte. They’re both based on espresso (or Moka pot coffee), they are both made with foamed milk but there’s an extra touch to mocha: chocolate. If your regular latte coffee isn’t good enough, you can simply add some chocolate syrup and make it a mocha. You might want to be careful with that if you have a high blood sugar or are on a diet.
How Do You Make A Mocha?
A Mocha coffee is made in almost the same way as a latte. You start with an espresso and add the frothed milk on top. Then, you add the chocolate syrup, and the delicious drink you're left with is a delightful cup of mocha coffee.
What Is The Best Recipe for Mocha Coffee?
The best mocha recipe is a mix of coffee and cocoa powder. To make it, you'll need:
- 18g ground espresso, or one espresso pod
- 8.5 oz milk
- 1 tsp drinking chocolate
- large cup, 300-350ml capacity
These is what you should do step by step:
- Make around 5 oz of espresso.
- Pour it into the base of your cup.
- Add drinking chocolate and mix until smooth.
- Steam the milk until it has approximately 2" of foam on top.
- Pour the milk into the cup from about 1-2", bringing it closer to the surface
- Once the jug is almost touching the surface of the coffee, tilt it to speed up the pouring rate.
- Enjoy your Mocha!
What Is the Difference Between Mocha and Latte?
As we mentioned previously the difference between a mocha and a latte is rather subtle. While a latte is made with only coffee (or espresso) and steamed milk, a mocha also includes chocolate syrup or cocoa. This increases the sugar content and makes the whole drink sweeter and, of course, chocolaty.
This chocolaty flavor makes the mocha coffee more of a dessert than an energy booster like latte. In addition to the already sweet and chocolaty flavor of the brew, many people add sugar or other sweeteners. If the coffee taste is still too strong for you, you can additionally water it down with some hot water before adding the milk and chocolate.
As there’s no chocolate syrup in the latte, it has a creamy and thicker consistency. By adding the chocolate syrup you’re likely to ruin some of the creamy texture. Don’t worry, though, as it’s still going to be delicious.
One more addition that you can make to your mocha coffee is vanilla extract or a fruit syrup. This will give your coffee a note of taste that might make it even better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Espresso Stronger than Mocha and Latte?
Both mocha and latte are espresso-based drinks. This means that they're around as strong as a regular espresso. If you decide to have a mocha, though, you will take a higher amount of caffeine as some can also be found in cocoa.
How Many Lattes Is Too Many?
A latte is a relatively strong coffee. As it's based on espresso, it is significantly stronger than drip coffee. On top of that, it comes with a lot of milk, so you should keep in mind that it's a large cup of coffee before ordering.
Is Mocha Sweeter than Latte?
Yes, a cup of mocha is sweeter than a cup of latte. The reason for this is that to make a cup of mocha, you should use some sweeteners and cocoa or chocolate.
How Is Latte Different from Cappuccino?
It might be a bit hard to understand how cappuccino is different from latte. They are both made with espresso and milk. It’s not only that though.
A cappuccino has an even distribution of coffee, foamed milk and steamed milk while a latte has more steamed milk and only a thin layer of foam. Additionally if your cappuccino is poured in a transparent cup, you will clearly see the different layers. In a latte the steamed milk and espresso are mixed together.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have read this post, you should be able to identify the difference between latte and mocha. Latte is a coffee-based drink made with only espresso and milk, while mocha latte also adds cocoa powder or drinking chocolate in the mix.
One more main distinction between latte and mocha is how much milk each one has: lattes are more creamy than mochas because they contain steamed milk instead of just black coffee like most other types of coffees do. So if creaminess and sweetness matter to you when it comes to your morning caffeine fix, then try drinking a latte instead of a mocha!
If you want to try either a latte or a mocha, you’ll need an espresso machine or a Moka pot. We’d recommend the Moka pot as a high quality model can be found for less than $50 and the coffee is awesome. Get your stainless steel Moka pot now.