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French Cafe Au Lait

French coffee uses a light roast. Its color is called robe de moine because it resembles that of a monk’s robe. Here’s a simple recipe for brewing two traditional cups of French Cafe Au Lait:

French Cafe Au Lait in Cafe Le Select Paris1. Put about 2/3 ounce of finely ground coffee in a coffee filter – preferably one that allows the water to go directly through the coffee.

2. Pour boiling water into the coffee.

3. The coffee should come through the filter within five to ten minutes, in drops, not faster. If it comes through faster, refine the grind level.

4. You can now enjoy a café noir – black coffee. Simple!

5. For café au lait add up to 20% milk, according to your taste.

6. For café noisette (named for its hazelnut color), use just a drop of milk.

Add sugar according to your taste and take your time drinking it. This is a moment for you to rest, read a paper, talk with a friend, or engage in a heated political debate. Just as the French do in their Parisian cafes. Tchin Tchin!

PRODUCTS YOU WILL LOVE!

REVIEWS & COMMENTS

  • WARMED MILK

    Chamie | Mon, 12/05/2011 - 06:50

    I like my coffee with warmed milk or half and half rather than cold. The warmed milk -- not steamed, but heated in a small saucepan just till bubbles form around the edges -- is a little sweeter, and doesn't cool the coffee. Overall, just tastier, if a little more complicated than just adding milk.

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  • I HAVEN'T MADE THIS YET,

    intrepid510 | Tue, 10/25/2011 - 00:04

    I haven't made this yet, will have to try.

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  • A VARIANT?

    Wakeknot | Wed, 10/05/2011 - 13:00

    I wonder how this would be with steamed milk. I usually pair steamed milk only with espresso (perhaps because I tend to drink brewed coffee black) but I think there is no reason why the sweeter taste of steamed milk would not make this even better.

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  • CAFE CON LECHE

    Gazy | Thu, 09/22/2011 - 20:59

    Shaffer22 is right. Maybe some people use darker coffee, other will brew it lighter, but café-au-lait, café con leche, coffee with milk, pintado, cortado, etc. are names for the same drink used all over the world.

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  • THANKS FOR THE RECIPE

    EricBNC | Thu, 08/18/2011 - 21:54


    It sounds to me like you would be over extracting by having the coffee should come through the filter within five to ten minutes, in drops, not faster.

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  • FRENCH COFFEE

    jbviau | Sat, 07/30/2011 - 14:03

    I haven't been back to France since I became a coffee geek. I'm so curious now to taste the coffee/espresso in a variety of cafes over there. Based on what I've read here and elsewhere, my expectations are low.

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  • INTERESTING ARTICLE, BUT IT

    shaffer22 | Thu, 12/30/2010 - 12:12

    Interesting article, but it sounds to me like these are the same things that many Americans do to their coffee every day...just with less exciting French names

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