Step by Step Guide on How to Make Breve Coffee

There is nothing more refreshing than a well-made Breve coffee. For those who do not care or know a lot about the ‘technicalities’ of coffee, a latte is simply an espresso shot along with steamed milk. But I’m not really a big latte person- and personally prefer a cappuccino or Americano. A cappuccino is a double espresso shot with steamed milk foam and hot milk, while an Americano will be an espresso shot with water and no milk.

However, despite my tastes, I am always open to trying some new brews. Though I heard the name before, I was not sure of what a breve latte is. To cut it short for you, a breve coffee is an Americanized latte. It is a milk based espresso, which makes use of a half-and-half mix of cream and milk. The result is deliciously refreshing lattes brew unlike any other.

What is a Breve Coffee?

There is a lot more to a breve coffee than the half-and-half mix. This is a brew that you cannot miss. The word breve comes from the Italian word for ‘short’ or ‘brief’. This does not really have a lot to add to the name- and I think it should rather be named as cremoso, which means creamy.  When you try the creamy variety of the breve coffee, you will not really feel like going backed to the skimmed varieties.

The origins of Breve lies in the 17^th century Italy- though not much is known about. However- it’s not hard to guess that someone realized that a creamy drink would be much better than the skimmed ones, and the rest is history!

Beginning with brewing a Breve Latte

If you have decided to try out this rich creamy latte- then making one on your own is quite a good idea! To get started with the Breve latte, you will require half-and-half milk along with an espresso shot. Depending on what your preferences are, you can go in for extra chocolate, sugar or anything else.

The things that you will need

For making a Breve Latte, the basic ingredients required are espresso and steamed half-and-half. However, the actual list of things that you need to gather goes as follows:

• Coffee Beans, or Finely Ground Coffee
• Milk (Half and half)
• An Aeropress ( to make the espresso)
• Coffee Mug, preferably bowl shaped
• A Small Cup to brew in
• A milk frothing tool (aerolatte or whisk)
• Measuring scoop

Step by step guide

Step 1: Prepare the milk

Once you have all the ingredients set, the first thing that you may want to do is get the milk ready. For a single serving, you will need around 10 ounces of milk. Put that in a cup and heat it to around 150 degrees. You can use a microwave, and it should not take you more than 60 to 90 seconds to get that ready. Ensure that you are using fresh half-and-half, as the taste and feel of the Breve latte lies in it.

Step 2: Prepare the foam

For preparing the foam, you will require a frothing machine. Many of these are available in the market, with Whisk and Aerolatte being some of the popular varieties. These are mini-immersion blenders that can help create a generous foam in a mere 10 seconds. However- in case you want to avoid buying one and go the manual way, you can do so by using a whisk. Hold the whisk in your palms, and twirl it in the milk for around 30-40 seconds until the milk froths.

Step 3: Measure the coffee grind

Getting the right quantity of coffee grind is important to get the best results. The coffee that you have should be finely ground, since while making the espresso, the grind is in contact with the water for a short time and has to be finer to blend well. Put a paper filter on the cap and then secure it to the chamber. Pour around 2 scoops of the coffee grind in the espresso machine chamber.

Step 4: Prepare the coffee

Now take the hot water, and then pour it on the coffee, stirring for around 10 seconds. Now wet the plunger seal and position it in the chamber. Now you have to press the plunger down- ensure that you do so gently. It may take around 20 seconds to move, so you will require patience here. Once it starts depressing, do so gently to push it until it depresses fully.

Step 5: Mix milk and coffee

Once you have done everything right, you will have your espresso shot and foamed milk ready. This is the delicate part- you now have to pour the frothed milk to the espresso. Ensure that you pour it gently to ensure a thorough and even mixing. The best way to do that is in a bowl-shaped cup, for it allows enough room for the milk and also mixes the two thoroughly. Slowly but steadily pour the frothed milk in the espresso- and you should have your Breve Latte ready!

Step 6: Serve hot

Once you’ve poured in the milk, your latte is ready to be served hot! However- before you do that, you can make some additions based on your taste. If you prefer your coffee a bit sweet, then you can add sugar here. Or if you want to add any flavors, then now is the time to do so. Ensure that you serve it while it is still hot- for that is the best way to enjoy the Breve Latte.

Precautions

The mocha breve recipe is not that complicated, and it should not take you too much effort to get it done. However, there are still a lot of things in the Breve Latte recipe that you need to take care of- else you will ruin the taste of the finest latte. Here are a few precautions that you must keep in mind:

• The coffee grinds that you use should be finely ground. Every coffee requires a different type of grind, and for brewing an espresso, fine grinds work the best.
• Coffee grinds that are more than 3 weeks hold will lose their flavor- and no amount of technology and packaging can prevent that. For the best results while learning how to make a Breve Latte, only get coffee grinds that are between 3 days to 2 weeks old.
• While making the espresso, push the plunger very gently. Too much force or doing it all at once can ruin the flavor.
• Once you start with the Breve Latte recipe, do not pause too much in between- for instance, after preparing the espresso or frothing the milk. Leaving the espresso or frothed milk for too long can destroy their consistency and the flavor of the latte.

My Experience with the Breve Latte

Most of us coffee drinkers love that particular brew that we have developed a taste for. When it comes to coffee- convincing a cappuccino person to try a milky latte is not easy. However, being the adventurous sort that I am, I decided to give the Breve latte a shot. It took me just one sip to realize that these lattes were simply delicious. The rich and creamy texture of the latte and the perfectly blended espresso in them- I could not decide what was better.

There are 2 components to fully enjoying the Breve- ensure that you (or the place you are getting it from) uses the best possible beans, and ensure that the milk is fresh and creamy. Being able to taste the espresso is how you can enjoy the coffee- I see people ordering those gigantic cups of mochas every day, and I pity them for they have not had this small yet delicious cup of Breve yet!

Calorie & Nutrients in the Breve

All this talk about using half-and-half creamy milk and so on has got to get you worried about what does the Breve pack in it. The number of calories in a Breve Latte is 470 for the standard serving. Breaking this up, it packs around 370 calories from the 42 gms of fat that there are in it. However- that is not all that you have in this drink- it also has:

• Proteins: 12 grams
• Carbohydrates: 15 grams
• Sodium: 160 grams
• Cholesterol: 135 grams

Thus, it is quite easy to state that if you are on a diet or are following a strict no-fat regime, you may want to hold off trying the Breve latte- or just have a few sips at the most since it is so irresistible. On the other hand, for those trying to gain some weight and strength, a Breve Latte is the healthiest and richest of coffee brews that you can make- ideal for someone who is looking to gather his or her strength back!
The breve is amongst the richest brews that you can make in all the varieties- and it is ideal for the ones who love a creamy drink. If you are a true coffee lover- then you must try it once. It may be hard for those who love stronger brews to try this one- but one drink of the Breve will tell you what makes it so special!