Café com leite brasileiro
Strong filtered coffee with hot, frothy milk — poured table-side into a large mug. The Brazilian morning in a cup, never rushed.
Café com leite is the Brazilian morning drink that fuels the country. Equal parts strong filtered coffee and hot whole milk, served in a tall ceramic mug or a clear glass, usually with a slice of cheese bread (pão de queijo) on the side. Unlike its Spanish or Portuguese cousins, Brazilian café com leite is made with filtered coffee, not espresso, the coffee has more body and a slightly more bitter edge, which stands up to the milk without disappearing. Sweetened with white sugar, traditionally drunk standing in a kitchen or sitting at a tiny breakfast bar (mesa) before work. The whole ritual takes five minutes and feels distinctly Brazilian.
Method
Brew strong coffee.
Brew the coffee using a cloth filter (coador de pano), pour-over, or French press with twice the normal amount of grounds. You want a very strong, almost syrupy black coffee.
Heat the milk.
Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming — just below boiling. Do not boil or it will develop a skin. Froth lightly with a whisk if desired.
Pour together.
Pour the hot coffee and steamed milk into large mugs simultaneously — half and half. Serve with sugar on the side. Drink while sitting down.
Frequently asked questions
- Why filtered coffee instead of espresso?
- Brazilian filtered coffee (especially when made the traditional way with a cloth filter or "coador") has more body than American drip, less concentration than espresso. The flavor profile is unique to Brazil, slightly bitter, smooth, balanced.
- Can I make this with espresso?
- Yes, but the proportion changes, use about 60ml espresso to 240ml hot milk. The taste is different (closer to a Portuguese galão than Brazilian café com leite) but still good.
- What coffee should I buy?
- A dark roast Brazilian Arabica is ideal, Brazil is the world's biggest coffee producer. Pilão, 3 Corações, or Café do Centro are common brands. Any dark roast medium-grind works.
- How is it different from Portuguese galão?
- Galão has more foam, smaller volume, espresso-based. Brazilian café com leite is larger, flatter, made with filtered coffee. Same idea, different execution. Brazilians don't foam the milk.
- What time of day do Brazilians drink it?
- Morning, breakfast and mid-morning (between 7am and 11am). After lunch, Brazilians switch to cafezinho (small black coffee). Café com leite after 2pm is unusual.
Rate this recipe
Join the Club to rate →
