Tutorial | Symmetry of coffee latte art

Coffee latte art symmetry

To create latte art, the barista begins endless devilish practice from the moment he conceives the pattern. The process of repeating the basic skills is extremely boring and tiring. Very few people experience the process behind perfect latte art, let alone understand it.

Today, the skill of making coffee latte art is no longer heart-shaped, leaf-shaped, or segmented tulips, but an eternal creative subject for baristas. These patterns are derived from thoughts, wisdom, life, and perceptions.

The symmetry of the pattern is a strict "assessment" standard, which is the case in skill competitions, peer exchanges, and basic entry. How to make a cup of symmetrical coffee latte art?

★ Air intake for milk foaming

After the milk has been refrigerated to a certain temperature, the time of air intake can be controlled during the whipping process, thereby determining the amount of air output and temperature. Generally speaking, the "dry" or "wet" texture of the milk foam is directly related to the fluidity during fusion and swing. There are limitations in making latte art patterns with milk foam that is too "dry". It can be used to make traditional "golden circles", "heart shapes" and "segmented tulips", but the symmetry of the pattern requires strong basic skills to support it.

"Wet" milk foam is made by controlling the amount of air intake at an accurate temperature (65℃-70℃), so that the foam volume is not large and has a " heavy " feel. In the process of latte art, the ability to repair, blend, swing and finish all depend on the importance of fluidity, which is also the key point of the symmetry of the pattern.

Fusion amount injected at selected points

Select the point for injection according to the simplicity and complexity of the pattern. Do not select the point at the edge of the inner side of the cup mouth. Beginners can choose the midpoint of the liquid surface and adopt the method of moving left and right at a constant speed and moving in circles at a variable speed to blend. If "white spots" appear during the fusion process, use a slightly larger flow rate to repair them. The amount of fusion is determined according to the pattern and the capacity of the coffee cup. I personally think that one-third is a conservative value. The remaining part that fills the cup mouth but does not overflow will have more space to complete the latte art pattern. Of course, if the pattern is simple, blending to one-half is also acceptable. The key is not to destroy the Espresso crema during fusion to ensure integrity and color consistency!

The spacing between the left and right swings

When the blending reaches the required level, it is time to create the latte art. The left and right swings make the white milk foam "push forward" the golden fat. The swing interval and flow rate are related to the size of the pattern, and the frequency of the left and right swings is related to the level of the pattern. My personal understanding is that the left and right swing interval value is 0.5cm-1cm. Too large a spacing not only cannot control the flow rate, but also has a great impact on the fluidity and symmetry of the pattern.

The time point when the straight line ends

Whether it is a simple latte art pattern or a complex embossed or segmented pattern, the flow control at the end is related to the integrity and beauty of the work. Therefore, the time to end is after the coffee latte art pattern is completed and the cup is almost full but not overflowing. Raise the latte art cylinder to ensure a small vertical downward flow and end in a straight line. If the pattern is completed but the cup is not full, a small flow passes through the pattern and stops at the cup mouth to fill the cup, which will not ensure the symmetry and integrity of the pattern.