Salted Caramel Latte with Irish Cream

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Calphalon. All opinions are my own.

Smooth, sweet salted caramel stirred into this frothy latte with a shot of Irish cream mixed in. The perfect fall coffee!

If you want to make delicious, coffeeshop-level drinks like this Salted Caramel Latte with Irish Cream in your own kitchen, then look no further than the Calphalon® Temp IQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Dual Thermolock!

What is a latte?

A latte is a coffee that is a made up of one or two shots of espresso, steamed milk and a final, thin layer of frothed milk on top. It can be prepared both hot in a coffee cup/mug and cold, in a glass. The main difference between a latte and a regular cup of coffee is that a latte has added milk, whereas coffee has no milk unless you add it in.

Ingredients for the Salted Caramel Latte with Irish Cream

There are not that many ingredients that go into lattes. It’s basically espresso and steamed milk. Most people add a sweetener to it as well. This one is sweetened with salted caramel.

Here are the ingredients that go into this latte:

Espresso is the main ingredient of the latte. A latte is a type of coffee and without the espresso, it wouldn’t be a latte. Use fresh coffee beans to grind for this drink. Stale beans will give this latte an off taste.

You can use jarred salted caramel for this recipe. It will be just as delicious as a homemade caramel. But, if you want to make the caramel from scratch, try making the caramel from my Jumbo Bourbon Caramel Glazed Cinnamon Rolls. And just omit the bourbon.

Using Irish cream in the recipe is completely optional. It can be omitted if you don’t want to include alcohol. But, it does give the latte a great taste.

Milk is the next most important ingredient for the latte. It’s the largest ingredient in the recipe. The milk is warmed by frothing it first. The purpose of frothing milk is for the latte to achieve a certain texture. It adds a creamy, dense, airy feel to drinks. Foam is essential for many coffee drinks including lattes.

Whipped cream is not essential for lattes. I like to add a bit of whipped cream for the look of the latte. The latte will taste great with or without the whipped cream.

What was the Salted Caramel Latte with Irish Cream made with?

The salted caramel latte was made with the Calphalon® Temp IQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Dual Thermolock.

Calphalon’s fast premium espresso machine makes you a barista for coffeeshop-level espresso drinks at home. It uses precise grinding and evenly heating for great tasting espresso. The powerful steam wand produces creamy froth and microfoam milk which is perfect for delicious lattes.

It has a Dual Thermoblock for faster espresso drinks by brewing and frothing simultaneously. A cafe-sized 58 mm portafilter allows for even water dispersion and robust flavor. And it has an auto shot volumetric control that dispenses the correct amount of water for 1 or 2 shots of espresso. There is a cup warming tray and has a hot water option for espresso ready cups.

The espresso machine includes a stainless steel milk jug, a tamper, cleaning disc and cleaning pin. It literally has everything everything you need to make the best tasting espresso for elevated drinks, coffee infused desserts and more! From grinding the coffee beans, to brewing the espresso, to frothing the milk for the latte, using the Temp IQ Espresso Machine was the smartest option! It’s definitely my go to choice for making this Salted Caramel Latte with Irish Cream.

The Calphalon® Temp IQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Dual Thermolock is available at Calphalon.com.

Commonly Asked Questions:

Do you need to use espresso to make a latte?

You can use regular coffee to make a latte, but it will need to be a strongly brewed batch. Regular coffee isn’t a strong as espresso, and strong, rich coffee like espresso is needed.

What type of coffee beans are best to make the latte?

You can technically use any type of coffee beans to make the Salted Caramel Latte with Irish Cream, but using dark roast espresso beans make better tasting espresso with rich crema.

Does the milk need to be frothed for the Salted Caramel Latte with Irish Cream?

Yes, the milk needs to be frothed for the latte. The purpose of frothing milk is to achieve a certain texture. It adds a creamy, airy feel to drinks. The foam should be dense and fluffy and is essential for lattes. To make a latte, you need an espresso to milk to froth ratio.