How to Make a Skinny Vanilla Latte

Making This Delicious Coffeehouse Drink Without Feeling Guilty

Dec 30, 2008

It seems like there's a coffeehouse on every corner. Sure, the drinks taste great, but how can you enjoy them without loosening your belt? The skinny vanilla latte.

Nothing is like going to a favorite coffeehouse and ordering a vanilla latte made freshly before your eyes, but between the price and calories of a single latte, it's safer to stay home, save money, and cut calories. What goes into the coffeehouse classic, anyway?

Two percent or whole milk, a day's worth of sugar, and caffeine. Add whip cream to that sucker and you're looking at a meal's worth of calories. Cutting back a bit can save a lot of calories with an almost equal taste and can save you money.

A latte is a combination of espresso, steamed milk, and froth. Adding a vanilla syrup makes the latte vanilla, and sometimes it is topped with whipped cream.

Using skim milk and sugar-free syrup saves a lot of calories and fat without compromising taste. If the thought of cutting both fat and sugar out of the drink makes you nervous, start but using only skim milk and then try using sugar-free syrup.

Steaming the Milk

Standard lattes at most coffeehouses use two percent milk, but any kind of milk will work for a latte. The skinny latte uses skim milk.

Pour about 10 ounces of skim milk into a stainless steel steaming pitcher with a food thermometer, and place the steaming wand tip at the surface of the milk. Turn the dial counterclockwise to begin heating the milk. Raise the steaming wand tip just above the surface of the milk to create froth. A light hissing sound is the key to making the perfect froth, which should have the consistency of shaving cream.

Keep in mind that skim milk steams quicker than other kinds of milk, but is more difficult to froth. Be sure to keep an eye on the thermometer.

For a latte, only a small amount of foam is necessary, just a spoonful or two, so after a few seconds of frothing the latte creator can insert the wand further into the milk to finish heating it. Turn the steamer off once the milk has reached 150-160 degrees. This will allow the milk some room to rise to 170 degrees or drop to 140 degrees, both acceptable temperatures for a latte. Be sure to wipe the steaming wand with a clean, damp cloth immediately after steaming milk.

Adding Desired Flavors

Next, add about one to two ounces of sugar-free vanilla syrup to the desired mug or cup. Many coffeehouses use Torani brand flavors, and these are available at most specialty food stores in a smaller size.

Just before pulling the shots of espresso, pour the steamed milk into the cup with the vanilla syrup, using a spoon to hold back the froth, saving about two inches of space for the shots and froth.

Pulling the Shots of Espresso

Grind the espresso beans just before pulling the shots for the best flavor. Load the fresh grinds into the portafilter handle, and tamp level before inserting into the espresso machine. Be sure to pull shots between 16-26, preferably between 18-23.

Immediately after pulling satisfactory shot(s), pour two into the cup filled with steamed milk to save them. For less coffee taste, use only one shot, and if an extra shot is desired, use three. The espresso has a 10 second window before it begins losing flavor and increasing in bitterness.

Finishing Touches and Tips

After pouring the espresso into the mug or cup, stir well to combine the vanilla, milk, and espresso. Add one or two spoonfuls of froth. Enjoy a homemade skinny vanilla latte at home!

Remember that pulling shots of espresso can be difficult, especially when under pressure to do so quickly. Be sure to pull test shots before beginning any drink to know the tamping level that should be used.

Be sure not to burn the milk; milk burns at 180 degrees, so milk should not be steamed past 170 degrees because the temperature rises a few degrees after steaming. Also be careful not to burn yourself while steaming the milk or pulling the espresso shots.