Bialetti Moka Express: Review & How I Make Iced Lattes from Home
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Around the start of this year, I decided to get myself some type of coffee maker to start recreating my favourite coffee drinks from home. To be honest, coffee was never really my "thing", but somehow it quickly became one of my favourite daily rituals - either making it at home, or going out to grab one. My drink of choice is some variation of a latte, either iced or hot. Now, before I continue to ramble on, we all know how quickly coffee expenses can add up, especially when subbing for fun dairy alternatives *cough* oat milk *cough*. Before you know it, you're looking at AT LEAST $35 CAD a week (M-F).
After some research, I decided to go for the Bialetti Moka Express (3-cup). It's quick - small and compact, and super low maintenance. I have been using this baby for a good 3-4 months now, and have nothing but good things to say about it. Although it is not a "true" espresso machine, it is pretty close in taste (at least for me), easy to use, and saves a lot of counter space.
I've been WFH for a little over a month now, and my coffee ritual is still one of my favourite parts of my day. The act of making coffee and waiting for it in the morning is the perfect way to wake up. Today I'm going to walk through how I make my version of an iced latte.
DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert by any means and my way is not THE way :)
First start by filling the bottom portion of the Bialetti with water just below the little bolt.
Then you're going to want to fill the middle part of it with your coffee beans (make sure the coffee ground is for espresso or moka brew). DO NOT pack it down like you would a regular espresso machine. I like to leave a tiny bit of room for the coffee to expand.
I missed the action shot - but I typically leave it on the lowest heat option on my stove. This usually takes a good 15-20 minutes to brew. The heat pushes the coffee upwards within the moka pot and it starts to flow through the top portion. Once it starts to flow, you can turn off the heat.
You can serve it like this - black, or you can pour it over some milk and ice, and there you have it! I like to add a dash of cinnamon with ice, and usually pour it over oat milk, since I find it is naturally sweeter. Again, you can substitute for any sweetener or milk of choice.
If you are reading this, I hope that you are staying safe and practicing healthy social distancing. If you try this method out, let me know what you think in the comments. Also feel free to leave any suggestions on what coffee beans you like, I would love any recommendations.
Xo,
D
