Café au lait. The very name conjures up images of sipping coffee along the French Riviera. This popular coffee drink should not be confused with it’s very similar cousin the Latte, which contains milk foam, while a café au lait does not. If you’re not a fan of foam; or, let’s face it… too lazy to make it, then a café au lait may be the perfect solution for you. It’s also much quicker to make which is great for your morning cup.
How to Make a Café au Lait – Step by Step Instructions
1 – Make 2 Espressos: In the US it is common to use a drip coffee maker or a French Press to make the coffee base. Personally, I like to follow the European method and start with a base of double espresso but you can use the alternative if you prefer.
2 – Heat the Milk: In a small sauce pan, start to heat some milk. The milk should be heated slowly over low heat. It should never be allowed to boil! The technical term is to “scald” the milk. For a café au lait, we typically want equal parts milk and coffee.
3 – Add the Steamed Milk: Using a spoon to hold back any foam, pour the steamed milk into the espresso. You’re looking for a roughly equal ratio of milk to coffee.
How to Make a New Orleans Café au Lait – Step by Step Instructions
This version of café au lait was popularized by the famous New Orleans coffee house, café du monde. This version includes the addition of ground chicory to give it that distinct New Orleans flavor. While there are versions of New Orleans style coffee you can purchase with chicory already included within, we always advise to you fresh ingredients whenever possible.
1 – Grind the Coffee: Pick your favorite blend of whole coffee beans and grind them up in a coffee grinder. If you plan to use a French Press remember to keep the grind size relatively big or it may get by the filter. You’ll want a stronger coffee than you’ll typically make so be sure to use extra coffee. Some people even recommend double the normal amount.
2 – Grind the Chicory: Grind up some ground chicory and throw it in with the ground coffee and mix them together. Try to maintain a consistent grind size with the coffee. You’ll want to use 1 part chicory to 3 parts coffee for this brew.
3 – Brew the Coffee: Using your preferred method, brew the coffee. I like to use a French Press for this method, but a drip machine also works.
4 – Heat up the Milk: While the coffee brews, start heating up some milk in a small saucepan as described in the earlier section. Remember not to boil it!
5 – Pour It: Pour the coffee and steamed milk into a cup simultaneously.
