My favorite café con leche is from Café Paris in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Customers often affectionately referred to it as “café lechero”. That said, it was one of the most popular items on the menu and you did not walk into Café Paris without ordering one these coffee’s.
Café con leche is a staple in most Latin American countries consisting of a 1:1 ratio of bold coffee and steamed milk. It’s similar to a French café au lait or an Italian caffelatte. It sounds simplistic, but the flavor of the café con leche from Café Paris is unique. I did ask for the recipe once, but they could not share the recipe given that they were known for this delicious beverage. In an effort to replicate these flavors, I reverse-engineered the café con leche process.
You will need a large French press, 5 – 8 tbsp ground coffee, 5-6 cups boiling hot water, 3 cups milk and 7oz condensed milk. You can use the coffee of your choice. I prefer a bold dark roast for my café. Simmer the milk and condensed milk until hot, but do not boil. Add the coffee grounds and hot water to the French press and cover with the lid. Do not press, yet! Let it stand 4-6 minutes. After that, carefully press the plunger. Now you are ready to prepare your “café lechero”. Add ½ cup of the sweetened milk mixture to your 12 oz cup, then pour the coffee. Voilà! Drink & enjoy!
My personal philosophy is to always make a recipe yours. You can modify the sweetness of the milk mixture by adding more or less condensed milk. If you want a stronger cup of coffee, you can also adjust the coffee grounds to your liking.
Ingredients and Tools:
• 5 – 8 tbsp ground coffee • 5 – 6 cups boiling hot water • 3 cups milk • 7 oz condensed milk • Large French press • 2 medium pots (one will be used to boil water the other will be used to simmer milk mixture)
• 2 – 4, 12 oz coffee cups