Top tips for making strawberry vanilla latte at home

• Be sure to choose good quality fresh espresso beans to create the base of your strawberry vanilla latte.
• Select juicy, ripe strawberries for optimal flavor and make sure you have enough to both blend into the frothed milk and as a topping for your latte.
• Take the strawberries out of the fridge in advance. I leave them for at least an hour to get to room temperature. Like all fruit, strawberries don’t give their full flavor when chilled.
• You can use whatever milk you prefer. If you like dairy milk, check out my review of the best dairy milks. Otherwise I have a great review of the best non-dairy milks you can use.
• If you want to really treat yourself, you can add a spoon of whipped cream to the top. Better yet, pipe the cream. Then finish with a slice of strawberry.

With an espresso machine

• Brew a 1-2 shots of espresso
• While the espresso is brewing, pour the milk into a jug, Add the vanilla and any sugar to the milk and stir in.
• Use the steam wand on your espresso machine to heat and froth the milk.

Without an espresso machine

• Use your preferred coffee maker to brew a strong short coffee. For help check out How to make espresso without a machine
• While the coffee is brewing, heat the milk in a sauce pan over medium heat, or in a microwave, until it reaches 140°F (60°C). Do not let it boil.
• Pour the milk into a blender or bowl. Add the vanilla extract and any sugar to the milk and stir in.
• Use a milk frother or blender to build a smooth creamy texture

Finishing your strawberry latte

• Finely chop, or mash 2-3 ripe strawberries and fold them through the foamed milk. Remember to hold back one of the bigger ripest strawberries.
• Pour the espresso into a latte glass, then gently pour in the milk. Hold back the foam to gently layer on top.
• For a luxurious finish, dust with some cocoa powder and put a big slice of the final strawberry on top.
• Serve hoy and enjoy!