We all know good coffee is magical. Few things in life are better than a fantastic latte, made with care, and with a few minutes spare to enjoy it and everything that makes it so wonderful. Yet it’s a reality than even the biggest coffee fans can sometimes make mistakes‚ and especially when they are making their coffee on the go.

That’s why it’s essential we detail 3 must-dos. These are 3 steps that you should always take to ensure each and every latte you make is made right and is great to taste. Let’s get into it.

1. USE THE RIGHT WATER TEMPERATURE

A good cup of coffee requires the right water temperature. Even big coffee fans will commit the brewing sin of boiling a kettle and using the water direct from boil with their beans. This is never a good idea as it can easy burn the beans, and even if it doesn’t‚ it can still ruin the experience as your coffee is too hot to enjoy, and takes forever to cool down.

Instead of bringing water to boil, ensure the water you use is at a temperature of 96 C (205 F).

Many kettles and brewers are available that you can buy to boil to this exact temperature. In a pinch if you only have a regular kettle on hand, boil to the normal temperature, and then wait around 8 minutes before pouring. That should bring the temp down a few degrees close to 96 C.

2. WARM YOUR MILK

Your beans are brewed, the water is hot (but not boiling) and you’re all set to get the milk.

Do not pour cold milk into your coffee! It might not seem like a big deal, but if you do this its guaranteed somewhere a cow is crying out because its milk is being wasted! Just as it does with water, a good caffe latte requires milk to be heated at a precise temperature to taste best.

This said‚ it’s true there is more flexibility when it comes to milk in your coffee than heated water. While you need 96 C exactly for water, heated milk can be anywhere between 60 C and 70 C. Whether you use a saucepan or a microwave with a thermometer, or dedicated milk warming flask, it’s OK (and fun!) to experiment between 60 C and 70 C to find the temp that best suits your tastes.

3. GRAB BROWN SUGAR FOR A RICHER TASTE

The final step in creating the perfect caffe latte is literally the sweetest. Adding the sugar!

As you prepare to mix in your sugar it’s a really good idea to mix it up when it comes to the sort of sugar you use. While white sugar is found in cafes all across the world, it is actually brown sugar (thanks to molasses) that will provide a sweeter and richer taste. Many latte drinkers who try brown sugar find themselves unable to go back to white again because they love brown sugar so much.

And now, with a clear-cut understanding of how to make a caffe latte with the ideal water temperature, milk temperature, and sweeter sugar, there’s just one thing left to do: make a latte!