Since the Moka pot is a pressurized extraction machine like the Italian machine, it can make black coffee with a higher concentration. Because of this, many friends will add milk to drink it together, which is a simplified version of latte coffee. The method of adding milk to a moka pot is very simple. Just like a traditional latte, you first extract a "concentrate" and then add milk according to your preference.
However, some people think this approach is too outdated, and shared two unconventional operations with Front Street: One is to pour the milk into the upper pot before extraction, and the coffee liquid will merge with each other the moment it emerges from the spout. The whole process is easier, and you can also take the opportunity to heat the milk; the other method is even crazier, pour the milk directly into the lower pot instead of water, and then heat the coffee powder to extract, which is a heated version of milk extraction.
After hearing this, Front Street frowned and quickly picked up the guy to try these two novel ways to make a delicious Moka pot latte.
The preferred taste of a moka pot latte depends on the coffee bean itself, so the first step is to choose a coffee bean that is suitable for pairing with milk according to our taste preference.
It’s very simple. If you like the mellow, fragrant and acid-free type, buy Italian beans with traditional flavors. The first choice is blended coffee with dark chocolate, cocoa, fried nuts, butter and other flavors. We recommend Front Street Dark Cocoa Blend, Front Street Autumn Chestnut Blend, Front Street Classic Blend, etc. They are generally made from a combination of two or more production areas. They use medium-dark roasting. The taste is relatively balanced, with more coffee oil, and it is not easy for novices to overturn.
If you want to challenge the moka pot latte with a delicate aroma and less bitter taste, buy medium roasted coffee beans. Friends who can tolerate acidity can try Front Street Grana Geisha SOE and Front Street Oiran SOE. They are heated for a shorter time and retain more bright floral aroma and water. It has a fruity flavor and tastes softer when paired with milk; in addition, we can also choose coffee beans with mainly ripe fruit flavors, such as Front Street Chiclaw and Front Street Blackberry. Because they can provide a rich fermented aroma, the Moka Pot Latte has a higher sweetness.
Moka pot latte recipe ①——Pour milk into the pot
This time we use the Front Street black cocoa base blend. In terms of parameters, what we need to consider is how to obtain a coffee base that is relatively closer to espresso, while minimizing the strong bitterness that is difficult to swallow, that is, over-extraction. Therefore, Front Street will fine-tune the grinding degree and water volume of the coffee on the original basis.
Coffee Bean: Front Street Dark Cocoa Basic Blend
Powder amount: 18g
Grinding degree: EK43s scale 2.0 grid/C40 scale 12 grid
First add hot water to the lower pot, and control the water level at 2/3 of the position below the pressure relief valve (safety valve). Front Street measured the amount of water at this position to be about 80g. Considering that cold water will increase the soaking time of the coffee powder, making the coffee over-extracted and bitter, Front Street hopes to use hot water to shorten the extraction time.
Then grind 18g of Front Street black cocoa base into the corresponding fine powder, pour it into the powder trough and lay it flat, put the powder trough back into the lower pot, tighten the upper pot, and place it on the electric ceramic stove; then open the lid of the Moka pot, add fresh milk to the halfway position of the upper pot (about 80ml), start heating, and wait for the Moka pot to heat up;
When you hear the moka pot squeaking, turn the stove to low heat. Soon you will see the coffee liquid begin to slowly flow out of the spout and melt into the white milk;
When the pot of milk coffee is 70% full, immediately turn off the heating stove, move the pot to a wet cloth on the table, and use the remaining temperature and pressure in the pot to continue extracting the remaining coffee liquid.
After the coffee liquid is completely released, the milk in the pot has turned into a rich milk tea color, and the yellow-brown foam floating on the surface exudes a rich nutty aroma. The moka pot latte made in this way has a rich and fragrant taste. When I drank it on the front street, I could taste a strong dark chocolate flavor, which was slightly bitter, but then the flavors of almond, cream, and macadamia nuts filled my mouth and lasted for a long time.
Moka pot latte recipe ②——Milk pouring pot
The operation of direct contact between coffee powder and milk is actually more risky, because the milk itself is highly saturated and the extraction strength is much worse than that of water; and the extraction temperature of the Moka pot is close to boiling. Once the milk is heated to above 70°C, the protein will deteriorate and the taste of the coffee will become worse. Therefore, instead of pursuing the taste, using milk instead of water to cook the Moka pot is more of a pleasure.
A buttery Front Street classic blend is used here, and in its fresh state it shows beautiful aromas of coffee crema and roasted chestnuts. In terms of parameters, in order to allow the milk to pass smoothly into the upper pot, Front Street will adjust the coarse grinding degree and reduce part of the powder amount.
Coffee Bean: Front Street Classic Blend
Powder amount: 15g
Grinding degree: EK43s scale 3.5 divisions
First add refrigerated fresh milk to the lower pot, with the water level 0.5cm below the pressure relief valve (safety valve); then put the Front Street Classic Blend coffee powder into the powder trough (just tap it flat, no need to press), fasten it with the upper and lower pots and start heating.
Because the temperature of the milk is lower, the extraction time will be longer. When you hear the sound of the Moka pot, lift the lid and wait for the coffee liquid to flow out. At the same time, turn to low heat.
At first, affected by resistance, the flow rate is visibly slow. As all the powder inside is moistened, the flow rate gradually begins to become faster. When the coffee liquid is half full in the pot, you can turn off the stove and move it to the table to wait for the residual heat to force out the remaining "latte".
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
