Coffee, latte, mocha, espresso... you know what all these are, but what is a cafe au lait? Isn't it just a different way to say latte? No! We'll explain.
What *is* Cafe au Lait?
Cafe au lait is coffee with milk. Literally. That's the translation of cafe au lait. It is a French term and a French drink. In that respect, cafe au lait is similar to a latte. It differs in that a latte is an Italian drink made with espresso, while a cafe au lait is a French drink made with coffee.
In actuality, many European countries have their own version of coffee and milk. In Spain, it's called cafe con leche. In Poland, they have kawa biala or white coffee. Germany has milchkaffee or milk coffee. And depending on the type of coffee, how it's prepared, the milk, its quantity, and how it's prepared, can determine even more descriptive names like cappuccino, meia de leite, and more. In Switzerland, the French-speaking areas have a popular version that starts with the milk and espresso is added. It is appropriately named cafe renverse or reverse coffee.
Here in the US, cafe au lait is typically a strong coffee that has been made with a French press or brewed with a drip coffee machine (rather than an espresso). It is then combined with steamed milk. It is typically served in a regular coffee mug rather than the bowl a latte is normally served in. However, you may see cafe au lait served in colored, ribbed bowls in traditional French restaurants or cafes in contrast to the rounded, smooth, white bowls you see lattes served in. When visiting New Orleans, your cafe au lait will likely have chicory and be made with scalded milk instead of steamed. The difference between them being the scalded milk is heated in a pan to just before boiling, whereas steamed milk is heated with a steamer wand.
Making a Cafe au Lait at Home
You can easily make your own cafe au lait at home. It is up to you whether you choose to be a "purist" and use a French press to make your coffee as you can just as readily brew it with your drip coffee maker. The coffee you use should be a dark roast with a strong flavor. OurSumatra Black Satin and our After Dinner Blend are two of the best choices.
Next, use a steam wand to steam your milk. If you don't have a steam wand, that's okay! In the US, it is customary to make a cafe au lait with scalded milk instead. Heat your milk in a small saucepan until just before it boils. Or, if you would rather use your microwave to heat your milk, that's fine, too. The best milk to use is whole milk with 2% a close second. If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, soy milk is your best choice.
When combining the coffee and milk, you will want equal parts of both. If you like, you can add foam to your drink, but that is not the tradition. But it's your drink and you make it however you want to.
As for sweetening your cafe au lait, you can sweeten to taste after adding the milk to the coffee. Sugar is fine, but vanilla sugar is better. You can buy vanilla sugar, make your own, or simply add a drop or two of vanilla extract to your cup.
To make your own vanilla sugar, add two cups of sugar to a large bowl. Take two vanilla beans and slice them lengthwise. Scrape the seeds into the sugar. Mix the sugar and vanilla beans well either by hand or with a hand mixer. Add the sugar and vanilla bean mixture to an airtight container, add the pods, and place in a cool, dry place for around 2 weeks.
Enjoy your cafe au lait!
FAQs
It is a French term and a French drink. In that respect, cafe au lait is similar to a latte. It differs in that a latte is an Italian drink made with espresso, while a cafe au lait is a French drink made with coffee.
What is a café au lait vs latte? ›
For a start, the latte is milkier as it's made with two distinct and thicker layers of steamed and foamed milk. The Café au Lait also tends to be made with regular brewed coffee (from a French Press or drip), whereas the Latte is always made with an espresso base.
What is the difference between a latte and a cafe con leche? ›
A cafe con leche typically has equal parts of espresso and milk, whereas a latte consists of a 1:3 ratio, meaning one part espresso to three parts milk. The higher concentration of espresso in a cafe con leche not only provides more caffeine but also intensifies the coffee flavor.
What is a latte coffee? ›
A latte or caffè latte is a milk coffee that is a made up of one or two shots of espresso, steamed milk and a final, thin layer of frothed milk on top. If you don't drink dairy milk, you can easily swap it for a plant-based alternative like soy, oat or coconut milk.
What is similar to café au lait? ›
Similar to a café au lait, lattés are made with a shot (or three) of espresso poured into the bottom of a mug and topped with steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. Some people prefer to add the espresso last so it that sinks through the milk and foam instead, but the idea is the same.
What's the difference between a café and a café latte? ›
In Italy a Caffe is an espresso. Latte is milk. Ideally served with latte art on top and not too much foam. A latte macchiato is slightly different.
What is the meaning of au lait? ›
(əʊ ˈleɪ , French o lɛ ) adjective. prepared or served with milk.
What is a dirty coffee? ›
Dirty coffee is a drink by pouring espresso over cold milk. The hot espresso sits on top of the milk, and it slowly permeates through it, creating a messy appearance.
Is A cafe latte Sweet or not? ›
As with all steamed milk beverages, they taste sweeter as the steaming process draws out the milk's natural sweetness. Due to the latte's milk-to-espresso ratio, it will taste sweeter than a cappuccino.
Why is it called a cafe latte? ›
The term comes from the Italian caffellatte or caffè latte, from caffè e latte, literally "coffee and milk"; in English orthography either or both words sometimes have an accent on the final e (a hyperforeignism in the case of *latté, or to indicate it is pronounced, not the more-common silent final e of English).
Café au lait (/ˌkæfeɪ oʊ ˈleɪ, kæˌfeɪ, kə-/; French: [kafe o lɛ]; French for "coffee with milk") is coffee with hot milk added. It differs from white coffee, which is coffee with cold milk or other whiteners added.
Does cafe latte have sugar? ›
Caffè latte, also sometimes simply referred to as a latte, is made from espresso, steamed milk, and a light layer of foam. Although many people choose to add sweeteners to their latte, the drink itself is free of added sugar.
Why is latte so good? ›
Another reason why lattes are so popular is that they offer a perfect balance between the strong flavor of espresso and the creaminess of milk. This combination is perfect for people who enjoy a little bit of sweetness and creaminess in their coffee, but do not necessarily want to drown out the taste of the espresso.
What coffee drink has the least milk? ›
Macchiato means "stained" or "spotted", so it has a literal meaning for these coffee types. Compared to the Latte Macchiato, here, you just add "spotting" of the foamed milk directly on top of the espresso shot - no steamed milk or anything else. This is the type of coffee with the least amount of milk in it.
What drink is espresso and foam? ›
Café macchiato, which means stained coffee in Italian, is a single espresso topped with a dollop of foamed milk. Macchiatos tend to be rich, dense, and creamy. Macchiatos are called noisettes in France.
What does Starbucks call a café au lait? ›
MORE ABOUT THE RECIPE
A coffee that's both simply delicious, and deliciously simple to make. It's a Starbucks® staple, but we call it a Café Misto.
What does café au lait mean in French? ›
The term cafe au lait simply means coffee with milk in French, but in New Orleans it means so much more.
Do French people drink café au lait? ›
Typically, the French have their café au lait at home, with breakfast, in a bowl.
