Caffè latte

A caffè latte has espresso with plenty of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. A cappuccino has more foam in proportion to the milk, while a flat white is smaller and has a finer, less foamy texture.

Make a small, strong coffee with a moka pot or espresso-style coffee maker. Heat milk until steaming but not boiling, then whisk or froth it and pour it over the coffee; finish with a little foam.

Whole milk makes a creamy latte and froths readily; semi-skimmed milk gives a lighter result. Oat milk made for coffee is a useful dairy-free option, as it is formulated to froth and is less likely to split in hot coffee.

Yes. Dissolve the instant coffee in a little hot water to make a concentrated base, then add hot, frothed milk. It will not have the same espresso flavour, but it gives you the familiar coffee-and-milk balance.

It is best made fresh: the foam quickly collapses, and reheating can leave the milk with a flat or scalded taste. If you need to keep one briefly, refrigerate it promptly and reheat gently without bringing it to a boil.

Its milky coffee flavour goes well with a plain croissant, biscotti or a slice of cake. It is also commonly served alongside breakfast pastries.