Cappuccino and latte macchiato: Both are typical expressions of the Italian attitude towards life. Both consist of: coffee and milk. But every coffee specialty has its own character. But what exactly is the difference between cappucino and latte macchiato? Find out here!
Cappuccino and latte macchiato: these are the differences
In addition to black coffee and espresso, cappuccino and latte macchiato are among the most popular coffee specialties. They differ at first glance: The cappuccino is served in a small, bulbous cappuccino cup with a little semi-liquid milk foam. The latte macchiato is presented in a tall glass with lots of thick foam.
A little reminder: Cappuccino is actually coffee with milk, while latte macchiato is more like milk with coffee. By the way, translated, latte macchiato means “stained milk”.
Don’t confuse latte macchiato with milk coffee! Because a milk coffee is usually filter coffee that is filled with warm milk. It contains equal parts coffee and milk. Occasionally milk coffee is also served with additional milk froth.
Already knew?
Latte macchiato should not be confused with the caffè latte, also known from Italy. In fact, this double espresso with plenty of hot milk does not have the layers typical of a latte macchiato.
However, the biggest difference between cappuccino and latte macchiato is still the preparation.
Cappuccino preparation: It depends on the mixing ratio
A cappuccino contains about one third espresso and two thirds milk. The preparation goes like this:
Pour freshly brewed espresso into the cup.
Warm the milk and froth it slightly. Typically, a cappuccino is semi-liquid milk froth.
Fill the cup to the brim with the light milk froth. The brown crema that gives the cappuccino its typical look becomes visible.
Connoisseurs now sprinkle some chocolate powder over it – the homemade cappuccino is ready!
Latte macchiato preparation: It’s all in the milk
The latte macchiato from Italy consists of one quarter espresso and three quarters milk. Therefore, it is not uncommon in Italy for children to try this coffee specialty. Here’s how to prepare it easily:
Heat two thirds of the milk to around 60 degrees Celsius and froth the remaining third. The froth should have a firm consistency.
Pour the hot milk into a tall glass.
Then put the milk froth on top.
Now slowly pour the espresso into the glass. Important: The espresso must be freshly brewed and hotter than the milk so that the layers typical of the latte macchiato can form.
Serve the finished coffee specialty with a long spoon.
So those with a sweet tooth can also enjoy their hot drink with sugar.
This is how the perfect milk froth for latte macchiato succeeds
When preparing your latte macchiato, have you ever reached your limits when frothing milk? No wonder: the firm consistency is not so easy to get right. Here are a few tips on how to make the milk froth perfect:
The more fat the milk contains, the creamier and firmer the froth will be. The ideal fat content is 3.3 to 4 percent. In addition, the milk should be as fresh as possible and not come directly from the refrigerator. Room temperature is ideal.
The milk should be warm but not boiling. A temperature between 60 and 70 degrees is ideal.
If you use a portafilter machine or a coffee machine with a steam nozzle to prepare the milk froth, you should only fill the container for the milk two-thirds full. As soon as the volume of the milk froth increases, immerse the steam nozzle deeper and turn the container slightly back and forth so that all the milk becomes firmer.
Interested in calories?
Another difference between cappuccino and latte macchiato is the calorie content. A cappuccino has around 50 calories, and a latte macchiato has around 130 calories.
