salted caramel rose latte
Practicing my latte art on this beauty!
I’ve worked in coffee shops my entire adult life, in various corporate levels. In one of the smaller shops – which was honest to fuck the worst job I ever had, fun fact – I learned how to swizzle and swirl in the milk properly to create patterns. I used to do a mean rosette, and of course the heat. Sometimes I’d manage nothing more than a blob, but hey, I tried!
I put a lot of care into creating the hearts on these lattes, and I think, while imperfect, they’re certainly cute. I appreciate the craft some coffee entails, and while I’m typically boring and drink plain drip with milk or a soy cappuccino when Little Miss Ba and I go out, a little flavor feels special sometimes.
Cue these sweet and floral Salted Caramel Rose Lattes. Using up some of that rose water from the chocolate chip cookies a couple weeks ago, and honestly, the mix of sweet and toasty caramel and the delicate rose is lovely in coffee format. A fabulous midday pick me up or an indulgent brunch treat, really doesn’t matter when you pull your shots. You’ll feel cozy and special with a mug of this in your hand.
Feelin’ Salty
I love me a good salted caramel sauce, and I use this frequently where caramel is required. A batch keeps well for awhile in the fridge, and is fab for drizzling on just about everything.
Caramel, while finicky, isn’t hard, so long as you keep both eyes on the saucepan. Melt down some sugar, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Add butter and stir until melted, then pour in heavy cream and boil just a couple minutes until the sauce thickens. Pull the pan off the heat and stir in kosher salt (avoid table salt, that shit will make this WAY too potent) and vanilla.
This recipe is written assuming you have an espresso machine with a steam wand. If not, we can make an au lait together, which I’ll detail after.
First, add some salted caramel sauce – as much or as little as you please – and a couple dabs of rosewater to your favorite mug. Pull two shots on top and stir to incorporate the sauce. Steam whatever milk you prefer (I like soy or whole best) and give latte art your best shot. And probably fail. But that’s okay. Garnish with dried rose petals if you’ve got some lying around, and an extra bit of caramel. Hell, whipped cream is a fine addition, too!
If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can still make this bevy, although it will be more like a cafe au lait. Swap out the double shot for about 1/2 cup of strong brewed hot coffee, and warm your milk however you prefer. I find stovetop the best, but microwave is fine, too. Assemble the drink as directed thereafter!
A little sip to tide you through your Friday, and into the weekend. This will please your brunch guests if you’ve got them coming over for a batch of cinnamon rolls on Sunday. Mmm.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Leftover caramel? Not for long!
Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes
salted caramel rose latte
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp salted caramel sauce (recipe below)
- 2 tsp rosewater
- 2 shots espresso
- 1 cup whole milk (or your favorite milk)
- dried rose petals, to serve
salted caramel
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the sugar until the granules completely dissolve and the liquid is golden. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon. Drop in the butter – be careful, it will splatter! – and stir until melted. Carefully pour in the heavy cream and boil for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and vanilla.
- Add the caramel and rosewater to your favorite coffee mug. Pull the two shots on top. Steam your milk with the wand, or warm on the stovetop or in the microwave. Top your mug with the milk. Garnish with dried rose petals and extra caramel sauce, as desired.
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