Posted by Jeroen
A dirty latte is cold milk with a shot of hot espresso poured on top, creating two layers. With ube instead of matcha, the bottom layer becomes purple and the top layer dark brown. The bitterness of the espresso contrasts with the soft, slightly sweet ube.
What you need
- 2 to 2.5 grams of ube powder, about a level teaspoon
- 20 ml hot water at about 80 degrees
- 150 ml cold milk or plant-based milk
- A shot of espresso, about 30 ml
- Ice cubes
How to make it
- Whisk the ube powder with the 20 ml of hot water until there are no more lumps. This is the step you should not skip: powder added directly to cold milk will always form lumps.
- Fill a glass two-thirds full with ice.
- Pour in the cold milk and stir in the whisked ube. Now your bottom layer is purple.
- Brew the espresso and pour it slowly over the top, preferably over the back of a spoon.
- Do not stir. The layers will remain separate until the drinker mixes them.
Why do the layers remain separate?
Due to the difference in density and temperature. Cold milk with ube is heavier than hot espresso, so the espresso stays afloat on top. If you pour too quickly, you will end up mixing everything. Pouring over a spoon slows the flow just enough.
The ratio
A single shot of espresso with 150 ml of milk gives a drink in which you can still clearly taste the ube. If you use a double shot, it becomes mostly coffee with a purple rim. If you want to see the color better, use 3 grams of ube instead of 2.
Which milk?
- Whole cow's milk: the clearest separation between the layers.
- Barista oat milk: creamier and sweeter, with slightly softer layers.
- Coconut milk: enhances the nutty side of ube, but makes the color lighter.
- Almond milk: thinner, the layers blend together more quickly.
Dirty ube latte or ube coffee?
The difference lies in the order and the temperature. With a dirty latte, you pour espresso over cold milk with ube, and the layers remain visible. With an ube coffee, you prepare the drink hot and mix it. Both are delicious, but the dirty version is the one you see in the photo.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dirty ube latte?
Cold milk with whisked ube, with a shot of espresso on top that you do not stir in. The name dirty refers to that dark layer of coffee on top.
Does a dirty ube latte contain caffeine?
Yes, from the espresso. Ube itself is caffeine-free. If you want it without caffeine, omit the espresso and make an iced ube latte.
Can I make it hot?
You can, but the layers will quickly blend together. Hot works better as a mixed drink.
Which espresso pairs best with it?
A medium-dark roast with nutty or chocolate notes. Sour, fruity coffee clashes with the vanilla-like side of ube.
More purple
Check out the ube cold foam, the ube matcha latte or all ube recipes.
