Today Melissa shares a Spanish classic-- the recipe for café con leche. While it might seem so simple, it has its tricks!
In Spain, café con leche reigns supreme.
It's an essential part of every Spanish breakfast and afternoon merienda. Spaniards often order it after a long and hearty lunch, or even after dinner to fuel a long night out.
Café con leche is delicious in its simplicity, and if you don't watch out, you may just get addicted. But never fear; this classic coffee is easy to make at home, as long as you've got a good Spanish café con leche recipe.
What is café con leche?
Literally speaking, it's coffee (café) with milk (leche). If you're trying to recreate it at home, you might think you can just brew up a cup of American filtered coffee and add a splash of 2% milk. But you would be mistaken.
To have the true café con leche experience, you can't forget the details.
What makes the best café con leche?
First of all, the café is really a shot of espresso. Filter coffee will not work.
Second, the leche is steamed milk, which has its own distinct flavor.
Why steamed? In Spain (and throughout Europe), most milk is Ultra High-Temperature Pasteurized, meaning it's shelf-stable and doesn't need to be refrigerated before opening.
If you're used to "fresh" milk (probably High Temperature Short Time Pasteurized), you might have noticed a slight difference in taste. But whether you love it or hate it, it makes Spanish café con leche unique. You can try to find something similar near you if you want, but whatever kind of milk you use, it's essential to steam it (or just heat it up)!
How is Spanish café con leche served?
In Spain, café con leche is appropriate for any time of day.
As a result, it can accompany a wide variety of foods. You might have it for breakfast with a slice of Spanish tortilla or a sugary pastry.
It's usually offered as an alternative to dessert for a three-course menú del día at lunchtime.
Many people have one with a piece of cake or a savory sandwich as an afternoon snack. And finally, you might find yourself sipping on one after a late-night tapas feast before you switch to cocktails.
See also: The Top 12 Spanish Foods to Try
That said, my favorite accompaniment is something simple and not too sweet.
For example, a few shortbread cookies or maybe some churros. If you can dunk it into your drink, even better. However, I can't promise that this last practice is socially acceptable in public... which is even more reason to put my Spanish café con leche recipe to use at home.
See also: Spanish mantecados cookie recipe
Last but not least, there's the question of sugar.
Should you add it? If you order café con leche at any Spanish bar or restaurant, they'll bring you a sugar packet on the side (if you're lucky, you might also get a little cookie or sweet).
In my opinion, sugar isn't necessary; despite the strength of the espresso, there's enough milk in there to cut the bitterness. But it's up to you—if you've got a sweet tooth, grab the sugar bowl (or packet) and go crazy!
My tried and true Spanish café con leche recipe
Grab some strong ground coffee and your milk of choice, and get ready to get caffeinated!
Spanish Café Con Leche Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 oz 30 ml of espresso or extra strong brewed coffee
- 1 oz 30 ml of whole milk
- Sugar optional
Instructions
- Prepare your coffee. If you have an espresso or Nespresso machine, use it! Otherwise, brew a bit of very strong coffee on the stove or in a French press coffee maker.
- Steam or heat your milk until it's as hot as possible without bringing it to a boil.
- Pour the milk over the coffee.
- Add sugar to taste, and grab a couple of cookies if you're feeling fancy. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
What do you think - did you try this café con leche recipe? What did you serve with it?
Michele Elliott
Hi - just got back from Spain and fell in love with cafe con leche! I have a Nespresso and Aeroccino - would I froth the milk or just heat it? Thank you!
Lauren Aloise
I would froth!
Mike
Step #2 SHOULD be "Scald your milk" (83 degrees C or 181 degrees F).
Lauren Aloise
haha true
Linda Stolinas
Love it! Thank you.
Valerie
When I lived in Andalucia, the Cafe con Leche was always served in a tall thin glass. A tourist might have it in a cup, but Spaniards and the locals who obviously lived in Spain, but were not Spanish, always were served Cafe con Leche in a glass. They fill the glass 3/4 full of hot whole milk. It must be whole milk. The glasses are aprox 8 oz to 9 oz, so that's about 6 oz of hot milk, plus a 1.5 oz shot of espresso. They set it on a white saucer with a small spoon and a packet of sugar. (I bought white hotel saucers on Amazon for my coffee glasses.)
The glasses are available from the yourspanishcorner website, but I think they don't deliver to the USA. They're called "White Coffee Glasses" even though they're clear because coffee with milk is a "white coffee." I found the glasses on Amazon listed as:
Duralex - Unie Clear Glass Tumblers, Set of 6 (250 ml. ( 8 1/2 oz. )) The kind of coffee served in Spainish Cafe con Leche, since the early 1900's, is called Torrefacto coffee; and it's unique to Spain because the beans are coated with a mist of sugar before roasting. No other kind of coffee will give you the same Spanish flavor. If you want the authentic flavor, you can buy a very popular coffee that's served in the Andalucian cafes: Catunambu Ground Mixed Torrefacto Coffee (aka Catunambu Cafe Molido Mezcla) from the LaTienda website or on Amazon.
Iris
This was really good!
Jamie Star
Looks sooooo yummy