Iced Latte
An iced latte is a double shot over cold milk and ice. There is no steaming, no foam, and nothing to get wrong except the two things everyone gets wrong.
What you need
- A double shot of espresso — 18 g of coffee in, 36 g in the cup
- 150–180 ml of cold full-fat milk
- A tall glass, filled with ice
How to make it
- Fill the glass right to the top with ice.
- Pour the cold milk over it, leaving room for the shot.
- Pull the espresso fresh and pour it slowly over the back of a spoon so it layers on top.
- Serve layered, and let the drinker stir it.
The ratio
Roughly 1:4 espresso to milk — a shade tighter than a hot latte, because the ice will melt into it. If you want it stronger, add a third shot rather than cutting the milk; less milk just means more ice water.
The two mistakes
- Not enough ice. It seems counterintuitive, but a glass packed with ice dilutes less than a glass with four cubes in it. A full glass keeps itself cold; a half-empty one melts entirely.
- Pre-brewed espresso. A shot pulled ten minutes ago and left on the counter has oxidised — flat, sour, and no amount of milk hides it. Pull it last, pour it immediately.
Layering, if you want it
Cold milk is denser than espresso, so a slowly poured shot floats. Pour over the back of a spoon held just above the milk. It is pure presentation and it collapses on the first stir, but it looks good.
Flavoured versions
See Iced Vanilla Coffee, Caramel Coffee and Brown Sugar Coffee. In each case dissolve the syrup into the hot shot or the glass first — syrup does not mix into cold milk.
Which coffee to use
Anything on our shelf works, but milk drinks reward a coffee with body and sweetness over one built for delicate florals — the milk will bury the top notes either way. Check the tasting notes and the process on each product page; a natural or a honey-processed lot usually cuts through milk better than a light washed one.