Origin and Recipe of Spanish Latte - Flavor Characteristics of Valencia Bombon Coffee from Spain

Condensed milk turns coffee into something sweeter and more comforting, and it shows up in drinks all over the world. Here are three ways to enjoy coffee with condensed milk, from Vietnam to Spain.

Adding sugar and milk to coffee is quite common; after all, not everyone can accept the bitterness of coffee. Sugar or milk neutralizes the bitterness and makes it easier to drink. Coffee does not have to be limited to sugar or milk, either. If you are feeling daring, you can even add ice cream and make an affogato. Today, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss the ways to enjoy coffee with condensed milk.

What is Condensed Milk?

First, let us talk about what condensed milk is. Simply put, condensed milk is concentrated milk with added sucrose, much sweeter and thicker than regular milk, and it is not the same as coffee creamer. Coffee creamer is actually non-dairy creamer, which contains no milk at all.

Vietnamese Drip Coffee

When people hear "coffee plus condensed milk," they immediately think of Vietnamese drip coffee. Vietnam is a major coffee-producing country, but what it produces is Robusta. When roasting these beans, butter and other ingredients are added, so the coffee shines with oil and carries a rich, milky aroma. The beans have a rich, oily texture, but the coffee's roasted bitterness is very strong as well. That is why one of the local specialties is made by putting some condensed milk in a cup, placing a drip filter on top, pouring in hot water, covering with a lid, and waiting for the coffee to drip through naturally.

To drink it, use a spoon to stir the condensed milk settled at the bottom together with the black coffee on top. The intense sweetness of the condensed milk perfectly neutralizes the extreme bitterness of the Robusta, producing a milk coffee with coffee flavor and a lactose sweetness.

Café Bombón

"Coffee plus condensed milk" is not unique to Vietnam. Far away on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain has its own version. In Valencia, Spain's third-largest city, you can order a coffee called Café Bombón. It is a small coffee made with espresso and condensed milk.

The preparation is very simple: take a 90-120ml glass, since a glass looks better. Pour in condensed milk at a 1:1 ratio with the espresso and condensed milk. For example, FrontStreet Coffee uses 40g of espresso, so add 40g of condensed milk. Then pour the espresso over the condensed milk. Because condensed milk has a higher density, without outside force it is difficult for the espresso to mix with it, creating a beautiful "black and white combination."

When drinking, stir gently with a spoon. The sensation is like "grass jelly with condensed milk," with a texture far thicker than straight espresso, and no longer bitter.

Spanish Latte

The Spanish Latte should be a relatively familiar "coffee plus condensed milk" drink for everyone. Apart from the "Spanish" in its name, however, the Spanish Latte has nothing to do with Spain.

A Spanish Latte is composed of espresso, milk, and condensed milk. To put it simply, it is a regular latte with condensed milk added.

For those who do not particularly like the bitterness of coffee, the Spanish Latte is a great choice. Adding condensed milk covers more of the coffee's bitterness while highlighting the sweetness of lactose and sucrose. Compared with using syrup for flavoring, condensed milk is more natural and comfortable.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Because a Spanish Latte is really a milk drink, a blend built for espresso and milk is the surest foundation, and FrontStreet Coffee's Classic Blend is the top pick for the job. It is designed specifically for espresso and moka pot use, and its biggest strength is its oil: even a beginner on a non-professional home machine can pull a dense, fine crema. Built on the traditional "Mamba" recipe blending Mandheling and Brazil with a small amount of Robusta, it is rich, warming, and easy to accept, and it carries the latte, cappuccino, and Dirty drinks that condensed-milk coffee lovers enjoy.

If you like a nutty, creamier base, FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Blend pairs washed Colombian and semi-washed Brazilian beans for notes of nut, dark chocolate, and caramel; whether you make an Americano, a latte, or a flat white, it brings out the soft aromas of cream, almond, and cocoa, with oil that matches a coffee shop. FrontStreet Coffee's Commercial Blend takes FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Blend and adds a touch of Robusta for more deep-brown crema and a heavier body, so an Americano, latte, or mocha all carry nut, cocoa, and caramel flavors and take latte art with ease. Sweeten any of them with condensed milk and you have a homemade Spanish Latte in minutes.