Cafe Con Leche (Cuban Coffee Milk)

You know how they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day? well, in my world, Cuban breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

It usually consists of cupcakes, croquettes, Cuban toast and Cuban coffee or coffee with milk. literally my favorite meal of the day!

Reading: Cafe con leche recipe

what is latte?

Café con leche translates to “coffee with milk” and is a breakfast beverage that originated in Spain and was later adopted by the Hispanic community. This drink is made differently depending on where it is served. for Cubans, it’s made with strong Cuban espresso, piping hot whole milk, and sugar.

A cortadito [pronounced cor-tah-dee-toh] is also made with steamed whole milk, prepared Cuban espresso, and sugar. it’s almost like a mini latte, about 1-2 ounces. It’s also a very popular coffee drink in Miami!

In Cuban restaurants in South Florida, they usually serve you Cuban coffee and milk separately so you can prepare it to your liking.

if you want it lighter, you add more milk, less espresso. if you want the drink to be darker, add less milk, more espresso. You can also sweeten to your liking.

what do you need to make Cuban coffee?

To make Cuban coffee, you need an espresso machine. this is the one i have. Every espresso machine is different, so be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions.

Normally, you would add water to the espresso machine and then fill the filter with the ground espresso.

close the coffeemaker, screwing the bottom to the top firmly, then place it on the stove over medium-high heat.

As soon as it starts to brew, turn the heat down to the lowest setting until done. Click here to get your Cuban Coffee Starter Kit!

how to make coffee with milk

make the Cuban espresso. Fill your espresso machine with water and ground espresso according to the manufacturer’s instructions and brew the espresso.

Heat the milk. In a saucepan, heat the milk until very hot (close to boiling). remove from heat and transfer to a coffee mug. if using a microwave, pour the milk into a coffee mug and heat on high for 1 minute or until very hot. add the sugar.

Mix the coffee and milk. Once you have heated the milk and the coffee is ready, start with 1/4 cup of coffee. Pour the coffee into the cup and stir until light brown/beige in color. adjust flavor as needed. if you want more coffee flavor, add more coffee. if you want it sweeter, add more sugar.

what is the difference between a coffee with milk and a coffee with milk?

A latte is Italian and has more milk than a latte. the ratio of milk to coffee in a latte is 2:1 and it usually has a thin layer of foam on top.

Is Cuban coffee strong?

yes, it is. It is twice as strong as American coffee and has a very strong flavor, which is why it is usually sweetened. Click here to buy Cuban dark roast ground coffee.

what does coffee with milk taste like?

Cuban espresso is a dark roast with an intensely aromatic, rich and strong flavor. when mixed with scalded milk and sugar, it tastes like pure heaven.

how to make Cuban toast with butter

It is customary to make buttered Cuban toast for breakfast to accompany your Cuban latte.

To make Cuban toast (or Cuban toast in Spanish), cut the loaf of Cuban bread into a smaller piece, about 7 to 8 inches long.

Cut lengthwise and butter both sides and outside. In a sandwich maker or hot skillet, toast bread until golden brown on both sides, then slice diagonally.

Dip the toast into your latte and prepare to fall in love!

pro tip: Cuban bread is made without preservatives and as a result, it goes stale quickly and will harden if not eaten the same day. you can still eat it the next day, but it won’t be as soft as the day it was baked.