How to Make a Hot Vanilla Latte and a Caramel Macchiato

A caramel macchiato starts with a conventional macchiato: espresso marked with a small amount of milk and a milk foam dot so baristas could tell drinks apart. The modern version, which appeared in the 1990s, is a separate product built on vanilla syrup, milk, espresso, and a caramel drizzle. Adding a thin crispy caramel layer on top gives it a texture closer to crème brûlée.

The technique runs parallel to how to make a hot vanilla latte: steam and pour the milk first, then add the espresso so the layers stay visible, and finish the surface last. A classic espresso blend suits both drinks. The macchiato name means marked or stained in Italian, and the word kept that meaning even as the drink moved away from its original purpose.

Caramel Macchiato is a favorite of many coffee lovers, but do you know its correct English spelling? Is Starbucks' Caramel Macchiato actually good? This article will walk you through the entire journey of the Macchiato from its birth to its evolution, clarify the relationship between the Caramel Macchiato and the Starbucks version, and teach you step by step how to make a "slightly different" Caramel Macchiato with a crispy caramel layer on top and richer layers of flavor. The article will also recommend the Front Street classic espresso blend beans suitable for making this coffee, covering everything from bean selection to the final product.

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You all know crème brûlée, right? A thin layer of crispy caramel on top, and soft custard beneath. Two completely different textures mixed together give rise to a wonderful new experience.

But did you know? Coffee itself often contains various kinds of sugar, including caramel — that's the "Caramel Macchiato." However, the conventional Caramel Macchiato uses a syrup drizzle on top, without that thin crispy layer on the surface. So today, we're going to bring that texture to the Caramel Macchiato, giving it crispy caramel and making it even richer in layers.

The Evolution of the Caramel Macchiato ‍‍ Macchiato means "marked" or "stained" in Italian. Back in the era when espresso was widely consumed, some people — like this writer — couldn't handle the bitterness of "life," so they asked baristas to add a little milk to the espresso to dilute it. But a small amount of milk added to espresso quickly blends in, looking no different from a regular espresso on the surface. To prevent mix-ups and serving the wrong coffee to customers, a mark was made with milk foam on the milk-added espresso so baristas could better tell them apart — that's the origin of the conventional Macchiato.

Gradually, coffee bean quality improved, and espresso was no longer bitter, harsh, and intense as before. Instead, it became rich, smooth, and full of aroma. Naturally, there was no longer a need to dilute espresso's bitterness with milk, and so the Macchiato began to decline. Then in the 1990s, the "Caramel Macchiato" appeared. Its arrival didn't replace the original Macchiato but emerged as a completely new product. The Caramel Macchiato also carries a new meaning: "sweet mark." The most common method is mixing vanilla syrup into espresso, adding steamed milk and milk foam, and finally drizzling caramel syrup on the foam surface to create a pattern — and it's done.

Getting to the point — how to make a "slightly different" Caramel Macchiato! Actually, this Caramel Macchiato isn't much different from the conventional method. The only difference is replacing the final caramel syrup drizzle with caramel torched by fire. For this, we need to prepare: one packet of fine white sugar (about 5g), a torch, vanilla syrup (10ml), a double shot of espresso, and milk + thick milk foam.

To make an authentic Caramel Macchiato, use Front Street classic espresso blend coffee. This is a recipe combining beans from three origins — Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam — using a dark roast. The coffee's rich aroma pairs perfectly with fresh milk and syrup, and it also allows you to easily extract rich and dense crema. It's suitable for making both Americano diluted with water and Latte with milk. You can purchase it from the Front Street Taobao store or Front Street Tmall flagship store.

1. Use 20g of coffee grounds to extract about 40ml of espresso, pour in the vanilla syrup, and set aside. (Adjust according to your preferred sweetness!)

2. Then steam a medium-thick milk foam (0.5–1cm in height) and pour it into the cup. (Be sure to choose a heat-resistant cup)

3. Then pour the espresso into the center. (This keeps the surface cleaner. Of course, you can also pour the espresso first and then the milk, which will blend more evenly.)

4. Place a cloth under the cup to prevent white sugar from scattering everywhere. Then it's time for the sugar packet to make its entrance! Evenly sprinkle the white sugar over the surface of the milk foam. Only the surface covered with granulated sugar can be torched to a caramel color.

5. Start torching the white sugar into caramel! Keep the torch flame about three fingers' distance from the liquid surface — this distance makes it less likely to burn the surface. It's done when the foam turns golden brown and releases aroma! (The golden-brown color means the white sugar has undergone the Maillard reaction and caramelization, becoming crispy with a very noticeable caramel aroma.)

6. When drinking, be careful of the hot cup rim. One sip lets you feel the crispy caramel surface, accompanied by vanilla-flavored coffee — rich in layers and intense! Crispy outside, tender inside, with a sweetness like being in love that you can't resist. Highly recommended for those who love sweet flavors!

This method has actually existed for a long time, but the process is rather cumbersome and time-consuming, which doesn't quite fit the "fast" characteristic of espresso. That's why it's rarely seen in today's coffee shops.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.