Easy Caramel Vanilla Latte

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Make your own delicious latte at home using strong coffee, heavy cream, and a delicious vanilla and caramel mixture.

Let’s talk about coffee.   I know I’ve said it before but I didn’t really drink coffee until I was out of college and living on my own.  I needed something to help me get up in the morning and ready to go.

My husband and I used to use a French press to make coffee.   Then we changed to the single serve machine.  Now we are back to making a pot of coffee every morning.

One thing I tend to get whenever we go out are lattes and macchiatos.  They are just tough to make at home and it’s a nice treat for me to grab one when I’m out but they are getting so expensive.   I decided to try and make a latte at home.

what is a latte?

A latte is a popular espresso-based coffee beverage. The word latte means milk in Italian.  Typically a latte has espresso on the bottom and steamed milk, which is milk that has been heated and frothed to create a creamy and velvety texture, on the top.  Flavors can be added in if desired.

ingredients:

• heavy cream (I like how thick heavy cream is but you can use whole milk as well)
• caramel sauce (homemade is best but I use store bought in a pinch)
• vanilla extract (use real vanilla extract, not imitation in this beverage)
• sea salt (this is optional but adds a bit of contrast to the sweet flavors in this latte)
• strong coffee (Fresh brewed coffee is preferred but you can use a strong instant coffee)
• whipped cream (Use real whipped cream either from a can or making your own with heavy cream-don’t use non dairy topping here)
  

The first time I made this latte I made it using instant coffee which is funny because prior to this the only instant coffee I’ve even seen is at my parents house.  They are not coffee drinkers but my great aunt spends the weekends with them and she enjoys a cup of instant coffee in the mornings.

I used instant coffee because I knew it would be easy.  It tasted ok but was a little bitter.  I prefer fresh brewed coffee and my coffee maker has a setting to brew strong coffee for specialty drinks so that’s what I normally use.

What type of coffee should i use?

This is totally up to you.   I wouldn’t use a light roast only because the milk will drown out the flavor.   A medium or bold roast is preferred.  I usually use a breakfast blend or a medium roast.   Don’t use flavored coffee as you will be making the flavoring yourself.

To make the latte you want to start by steaming the heavy cream along with the caramel sauce and vanilla.  Put it in a small saucepan over medium heat.   Bring to a simmer but be careful not to boil.  Remove it from the heat and stir in the sea salt.

How do I serve the Caramel Vanilla Latte?

I prefer to serve lattes in clear mugs because I like to see the coffee and the toppings easily.  I like ones that have a wider base and a wider lip like these large coffee mugs.  Another great mug to use are these hand blown glass, double walled, dishwasher safe coffee mugs.

Pour six ounces of strong coffee into a mug.   Top with four ounces of the cream, caramel, and vanilla mixture.  If you want more milk than coffee you can reverse the ratios.

Finally top the latte off with your choice of toppings.  I like a bit of whipped cream and caramel sauce on top of my caramel vanilla latte.

What can I top my latte with?

There are plenty of popular toppings for lattes.   Some of my favorite include:

• whipped cream (either the real stuff in the can or made with heavy whipping cream)
• chocolate shaving (you can use a vegetable peeler on a chocolate bar to get the chocolate shavings)
• caramel sauce (use homemade or store bought caramel ice cream topping will work)
• sprinkles (sprinkles are just fun and add some color to the top of the latte)
• cinnamon (spices sprinkled on top look nice and add flavor to the drink)
• nuts (crushed nuts add some texture and flavor to this latte)
• liqueur (a shot of liqueur on top or in the mix is a way to add flavor and to turn your latte into the perfect evening beverage)

More Coffee Drink recipes:

• Gingerbread Latte
• Cinnamon Cookie Butter Latte
• Pecan Spice Latte
• Salted Nutella Latte
• Birthday Cake Latte

When I took my first sip I liked that the vanilla and caramel flavors were noticeable but didn’t overwhelm the actual coffee flavor.  It was sweet but not overly sweet like some coffee places make them.

I really liked the flavor of this and found it to be very smooth.   I topped mine off with whipped cream and caramel sauce because that’s the way lattes were meant to be served.

The great thing about the caramel mixture is that it makes enough for 4 lattes.  It stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week.