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Do you like to order cappuccino in the café and would you like to prepare this coffee variation at home? No problem: we will show you step by step how to prepare a cappuccino.

Chocolate cake with a cup of hot cappuccino on the table with Shell.

Where does the cappuccino come from?

Anyone who thinks that cappuccino is a purely Italian coffee specialty is wrong. The origins of the drink are in Austria. The cappuccino as we know it today came from a Viennese coffee speciality, the so-called “Kapuziner”. This consists of mocha and liquid whipped cream. The “Capuchin” owes its name to the typical light brown colour, which is reminiscent of the habit of the Capuchin monks. In German, the related word “cappuccio” means hood or haupe, which can be associated with the monk’s habit. During World War I, Austrian soldiers brought their specialty to Italy. Here the “Capuchin” was further developed and refined into the “Cappuccino”. The name “Cappuccino” is derived from the name of the original drink “Kapuziner”. Today, the Italian version of the cappuccino is usually served in cafés around the world.

When is cappuccino drunk?

In Italy, cappuccino is usually drunk at breakfast. Italians like to dip hard pastries such as rusks or cantuccini into their drink. In this country, the coffee specialty is drunk throughout the day. For example, at the start of the day, but also in the afternoon with coffee and cake.

How is a cappuccino prepared?

Like a latte macchiato, cappuccino only needs two ingredients, but in comparison it is a little more skilful when it comes to the figures in the foam. But read more here.

Ingredients needed for a cappuccino:

An espresso
150 ml milk (alternative)

Step 1:

Prepare an espresso and pour it into a thick-walled cup with a capacity of around 200 ml. You will get the best result if the cup is preheated.

Step 2:

Froth about 150ml of milk with a milk frother and warm it up. Be careful with the temperature: it must not exceed 60 degrees. Otherwise the foam falls apart and the creamy consistency is lost. The milk froth is ready when the volume has roughly doubled. The number of calories in a cappuccino depends on the fat content of the milk used. Therefore, a cappuccino can have anywhere from 70 to 150 calories.

Step 3:

Pour the milk into the cup with the espresso shortly after frothing. With the right speed and technique when pouring, artistic images can be conjured up in the rising crema of the espresso. Find out more about this in the text.

Do you know the difference between a cappuccino, a latte macchiato and a milk coffee? The ingredients for the coffee specialties are almost identical, but there are significant differences in taste and appearance.

What is a cappuccino?

Visually, the three coffee specialties are usually very easy to tell apart. The cappuccino is preferably served in a very bulbous cup. The latte macchiato in a tall glass and the milk coffee in a large coffee cup.

The cappuccino consists of about 1/3 espresso, which comes first in the cappuccino cup, and 2/3 slightly frothed, creamy, warm milk. This order allows the crema from the espresso to settle on the milk froth. This creates the characteristic appearance and the basis for a special latte art, in which beautiful motifs are created through the skilful interplay of crema and milk foam.

What is a latte macchiato?

The latte macchiato is known for its three layers, which naturally come into their own in the glass. For this, the milk is frothed strongly until a solid milk froth is formed. A little firmer than a cappuccino. Now this is poured into the glass and set aside to prepare the espresso. When this is ready, pour it very carefully and slowly through the layer of milk foam – if possible in a thin stream at one point so that the milk foam remains. The three great layers are due to the fact that the milk froth contains a lot of air and therefore stays on top. The espresso settles above the milk thanks to the higher temperature and density. Et Voila!

What is a latte?

Unlike the other two coffee specialties, the latte is not made with espresso, but with coffee. The mixing ratio is around 50:50 and consists of equal parts coffee and warmed milk.

What is a latte?

Unlike the other two coffee specialties, the latte is not made with espresso, but with coffee. The mixing ratio is around 50:50 and consists of equal parts coffee and warmed milk.

Creamy coffee just like in Bella Italia: With the right recipe and professional know-how, you can make your own cappuccino at home, the taste of which will immediately take you back to your last holiday in Italy.

Warming rays of sunshine, the hustle and bustle on the piazza and a cappuccino with perfect milk foam topping – the ingredients for a relaxing holiday! At least the luxurious drink can easily be taken home. Because the recipe for classic Italian cappuccino is very simple: it consists of equal parts espresso, milk and milk froth.

Already knew?

Italians only drink cappuccino in the morning. Due to its high milk content, it is considered to be stomach-filling. In Germany, on the other hand, we enjoy it all day long: with a long breakfast or in the afternoon with pastries.

It all comes down to the beans

First things first: The espresso beans should be of the best quality so that the cappuccino really tastes as good as it does on holiday. You are guaranteed to be on the right track with the high-quality coffees from Mamis Caffè. Which variety you choose is up to your personal preferences.

Gran Crema impresses with the fine crema of the Arabica beans from Brazil, which settles perfectly on the milk.
The full-bodied espresso crema has a soft, intense crema, which unfolds its aroma in the interplay of Arabica beans with a strong Robusta note.
The sweet Amabile with its generous, soft body brings together seductive Dolce Vita with aromatic notes from India and South America.
Dolce Vita already carries the pleasure in the name. Sweet and with a certain spice, Arabica and Robusta beans bring the Italian attitude to life into your cup.
The smooth Deca Coffee is suitable for a delicious decaffeinated cappuccino variant.

What else makes a good cappuccino? That’s right: a creamy, dense foam. For this to succeed, you need milk with a high fat content. Whole milk with a fat content of 3.5 percent is ideal. Without fat, the foam will be watery and won’t stay solid.

All good things come in threes: the cappuccino recipe

Everything together? Now it depends on the mixing ratio. A cup of cappuccino consists of:

⅓ espresso
⅓ warm milk
⅓ milk froth.
For this you need:

Espresso (approx. 25 – 30 milliliters)
milk (approx. 100 – 150 milliliters)

Cappuccino preparation: start with the espresso

Professionals brew their espresso in a portafilter machine. Such a high-end coffee machine has its price and requires a relatively large amount of effort to prepare. However, if you regularly enjoy cappuccino at barista level, the investment can be worth it. You like it less complicated? A small espresso pot for the stove, a so-called Bialetti, also does a good job. The espresso is quick and easy with a fully automatic coffee machine, a pad or capsule machine.

Of course, you know best which method best suits your everyday life. At Mamis Caffè you will find your favorite variety for every type of preparation: as a whole bean, ground coffee, pad or capsule.

It’s all in the milk: this is how the perfect milk froth succeeds

In order to produce a stable milk froth, it is important that the milk is not too hot. As the owner of a portafilter machine with a steam nozzle, you are on the safe side. Here you use hot steam to heat milk in a jug and froth it at the same time. It’s even easier with a fully automatic machine. Most models conjure up a decent amount of milk foam at the touch of a button.

Alternatively, simply heat the milk on the stove. A temperature below 65 degrees is ideal, it should never boil.

You can then either froth the warm milk with a special milk frother or use a hand blender or a whisk. What actually works: a sufficiently large, empty mason jar. Pour in the warm milk and shake vigorously: a fine froth forms.

For your cappuccino you need milk froth, milk and espresso in equal parts. Froth until the volume of the milk has roughly doubled.

Expert tip: Professional baristas briefly knock the pot onto the table after heating the milk. In this way, unwanted bubbles escape from the milk and the froth becomes more even.

The final touch: Serve the cappuccino

Once you have prepared your espresso, first pour it into a preheated cup. Now it’s time for the milk, which you pour into the cup with a flourish. First hold back the foam with a spoon. You use it in the last step to crown your drink with it.

Et voilà: the homemade cappuccino is ready and tastes at least as good as in your favorite café in Milan or Rome.

Art in coffee: create latte art like a barista

Professionals refine the cappuccino with artistic motifs in the milk froth, the so-called latte art. The patterns in the crema are created when you pour the milk onto the espresso with a lot of energy and small, targeted movements. This requires finesse and practice. Would you like to surprise your guests with artistic masterpieces on milk froth? Most major cities have barista classes that will teach you the basics in just a few hours.

Cappuccino – the popular coffee and milk drink from Italy

A classic cappuccino consists of an espresso and milk and milk froth in equal parts. While cappuccino is drunk throughout the day in Germany, things are different in Italy. In the homeland of cappuccino, it is only consumed in the morning because it is considered to fill the stomach due to its milk content. From midday, the Italians rely on espresso, which awakens the spirits, makes you lively and is easier to digest.

In addition to cappuccino, latte macchiato is a popular drink in both Italy and Germany. Both coffee specialties are prepared with milk, but they look different and taste different.

The difference between cappuccino, latte macchiato and milk coffee

The mixing proportions between coffee and milk in a cappuccino are 1/3 espresso, which is poured into the cup, and 2/3 lightly frothed warm milk and milk froth are poured over it. The typical crema of the espresso settles on the milk froth of the cappuccino. The look of the cappuccino is white on the surface with a golden-brown crema, which is also often drawn into the milk froth with patterns using a spoon. There are now even competitions in which the most beautiful patterns that can be conjured up with the crema in the milk foam are evaluated. This can be leaves, hearts or even faces. A cappuccino is usually served in a bulbous cup.

With a latte macchiato, three layers can be seen in the tall glass. First, milk is poured into the glass, then the milk froth is poured over it. Finally, the espresso is slowly poured in through the milk froth. The layers are created by the air contained in the milk froth, which remains on the surface. The espresso stays on top of the milk, which is at the bottom of the glass, because it has a higher temperature and density.

Unlike cappuccino and latte macchiato, a classic latte does not use espresso to prepare it, but normal coffee mixed in equal parts with warm milk.

How to properly prepare cappuccino

Classic Italian cappuccino is now also at home in Germany and the times when coffee was whipped cream and then called cappuccino are long gone.

To prepare a good cappuccino, a metal jug is filled with cold milk. This is heated with the hot water nozzle. Care should be taken to ensure that the nozzle remains below the surface while the milk is being heated. If this is neglected, the milk may splatter.

The milk is frothed until it has doubled its volume in the jug. It is often observed with professional baristas that the jug is briefly knocked onto the table after the milk has been heated. This is done to get unwanted bubbles out of the milk.

The higher the fat content of the milk, the creamier and denser the foam. Whole milk or semi-skimmed milk is ideal for cappuccino. Almost fat-free milk is not suitable because the foam does not become firm and remains watery.

Of course, you can also prepare cappuccino at home in fully automatic coffee machines that already have an integrated milk container. Here the milk is frothed at the push of a button and automatically applied directly to the coffee. With fully automatic coffee machines, always make sure to clean the milk nozzle or the milk hose so that they do not stick.

You can also prepare cappuccino with pads and capsules. You either froth the milk separately or you have a device in which the appropriate milk capsules can be used to prepare coffee and milk drinks.

It has been the trend in hip cafés and bars for some time: the flat white – translated as “flat white”. This coffee specialty is something like the little Australian cousin of the Italian cappuccino. But what exactly is a flat white – and how is it prepared? Find out here.

The little difference between flat white and cappuccino

Although the delicious coffee specialty only recently came to Europe, the Flat White is actually a child of the 1980s. It was at this time that the recipe first spread to Australia and New Zealand. Basically, it’s a version of the world-famous Italian cappuccino, but with its own character.

The main difference between flat white and cappuccino is already evident in the name: the “flat white” contains a lower proportion of milk foam. It is also more liquid and homogeneous overall than the half-solid, half-liquid froth of the cappuccino. This is because, unlike cappuccino, the milk is frothed with just a little air.

This so-called micro-foam should be a maximum of 5 mm high for Flat White. Accordingly, the almost liquid foam of the “flat white” ends with the rim of the cup. With a cappuccino, on the other hand, it typically curves up a bit.

What the flat white lacks in foam, it makes up for in espresso: instead of a simple one, like a cappuccino, it has an espresso doppio intus and accordingly contains twice the amount of caffeine. The right drink for everyone who likes milk froth but likes to have a little more punch in the cup.

Make Flat White yourself: The recipe

You need:

Coffee machine with steam nozzle for milk froth (preferably a portafilter machine or fully automatic machine)
milk can
cappuccino cup
50ml espresso
130 ml whole milk
That’s how it works:

Warm up the cappuccino cup.
Prepare double espresso in the cup.
Make milk froth: Pour milk into the jug and use the steam nozzle to prepare the froth. Tip: The typical “hissing” should only be heard briefly when foaming, so that not too much air gets into the foam and it remains nice and fine-pored and creamy. Swirl the jug under the nozzle for an even consistency.
Pour the milk froth onto the espresso: the froth should have a consistency that blends well with the espresso and is flush with the rim of the cup.
Tip: Want to impress your guests? Try your hand at latte art and conjure up a work of art out of milk foam and crema on the top layer of the flat white.

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.

The two Italian coffee specialties are easy to tell apart visually. However, the difference between cappuccino and latte macchiato is clearly in the preparation. The cappuccino consists of about 1/3 espresso, which is the first thing in the cappuccino cup, and 2/3 lightly frothed, creamy milk. The latte macchiato, on the other hand, consists mainly of warm milk, espresso and milk foam.

With a cappuccino, the espresso is first poured into the cup and then filled with milk froth, which means that the crema of the espresso settles on the milk froth. With the latte macchiato, milk and milk froth are first poured into a glass and after the milk froth has settled, the espresso is poured into the glass. This creates the typical three layers.

Cappuccino and latte macchiato from the fully automatic coffee machine

Both cappuccino and latte macchiato can be easily prepared with a fully automatic coffee machine and additionally refined with cocoa or latte art. By the way: Translated, latte macchiato means “stained milk”. The milk content of a latte macchiato is quite high since this drink was originally intended for children. Of course, if you want, you can also add a double espresso to intensify the coffee taste.

The word cappuccino describes a piece of clothing. If you translate the word, it means hood in German. The hoods meant by this were worn by Franciscan monks in the 16th century and the Capuchin order was formed from this custom. The monks are the namesake of the cappuccino. However, they did not invent the hot drink. According to a legend, the hot drink was called cappuccino because the milk hood reminds of the hoods of the Capuchin monks. Did you know?

Only the vessel makes the drink really authentic

You can also enjoy cappuccino and latte macchiato in style at work thanks to the office coffee machine. Because almost every machine is able to produce specialties at the push of a button thanks to the coffee machine manufacturer. For real coffee enjoyment, however, you should also attach importance to the right crockery – a pleasure for all the senses.

A cappuccino is served in a large handle cup and saucer. The latte macchiato, on the other hand, is prepared in a tall glass so that the typical three layers can be seen clearly. It is served with a straw and a spoon with an extra long handle. But be careful: If you have a fully automatic coffee machine for the office, you should pay attention to the spout height. These vary depending on the coffee machine manufacturer and not all glasses fit under the spout.

What are the different making options?

The fastest and easiest way to prepare is of course the fully automatic coffee machine for the office. The recipe is saved and the machine automatically prepares the desired drink. However, many coffee machine manufacturers have different recipes. With most devices, however, the recipes can be adjusted so that cappuccino and latte macchiato always match your personal taste.

If you don’t have a fully automatic coffee machine for the office, you can also use an espresso maker (also called a moka pot) and an electric milk frother. With the espresso maker, you can make great coffee in no time at all – no, not espresso – which, thanks to its strength, comes into its own in latte macchiato and cappuccino. But an electric milk frother is not a must either. With a little practice, a manual milk frother or the good old whisk can produce a nice, creamy milk froth. Depending on the drink, you now have to prepare a semi-liquid or a slightly firmer milk froth.

The preparation with the espresso machine is a little easier. To do this, first prepare a double espresso with the espresso machine. You can find suitable types of coffee for preparation in our web shop. Then froth cold milk in the jug with the hot water nozzle of the espresso machine for a few minutes. Meanwhile, move the jug up and down so that the milk is frothed evenly. Put the milk froth on the espresso. A good cappuccino consists of half espresso and half milk froth and is about 150 ml.

Another alternative – and also very time-saving – for the preparation of trendy drinks is a capsule machine. However, the capsules are relatively expensive and not exactly environmentally friendly. Nevertheless, these systems can now produce a good cappuccino or latte macchiato with three layers. Ultimately, everyone has to decide for themselves how they want to prepare their favorite drink. For the making, you either use an espresso capsule and pour frothed milk over the hot drink, or you take a cappuccino or latte macchiato capsule directly.

Physics and chemistry in the kitchen and when cooking are nothing new, but physics when drinking coffee or even more clearly when drinking cappuccino are for us. Actually, enjoying a good cappuccino should above all relax, but relaxed learns and teaches it better. So welcome to lesson 1 in coffee physics. Today: The cappuccino effect. The situation is as follows: If you stir a cappuccino and then tap the bottom of the cup with the spoon at intervals that are not too large and not too small, you can hear very clearly how the resulting sound is very muffled when you first tap it and deep, but builds up to a very high pitch until the last knock. Why is that?

There were first scientific discussions on this topic as early as the late 1960s, and the cappuccino effect can be perceived so quickly and is presented so often by accident that so many cappuccino drinkers have noticed it all over the world and, of course, above all in internet forums about it was discussed. The explanations for this effect are as diverse as, of course, largely wrong. The correct explanation for this phenomenon, which incidentally also occurs with tea with sugar or milk with cocoa, is of course served here with us. The excessive milk froth in a good cappuccino is to blame for the change in the sound of the spoon tapping.

The sound travels more slowly through the air than through liquid, thanks to the frothed and stirred milk froth. A slow sound means a deep tone and the high tone can only be heard again when the air bubbles are slowly removed from the liquid and have settled in their milk froth crown. This also explains why the sound only slowly returns to its normal level.

Whether in the autumn sun on the terrace or for breakfast in bed: The cappuccino is more popular than almost any other coffee drink – rightly so, in our opinion. The good news: You don’t need barista training to make a good cappuccino, just a little practice. We’ll show you how to make the perfect cappuccino at home.

First things first: Cappuccino preparation

Froth 100 – 150 milliliters of milk: Professionals work here with the steam nozzle of the portafilter machine, but an electric or manual milk frother will also work
As soon as the milk has foamed finely, put the milk jug aside for a moment
Now prepare an espresso in a large, preheated cup
Now pour the frothed milk into the cup.
Already done – not that difficult, right?

Cappuccino on the coffee machine

Probably the easiest way to quickly get a cappuccino is to prepare it in a fully automatic coffee machine – one push of a button and the drink is in the cup. Unfortunately, one has to admit that the “finished” cappuccino often leaves a lot to be desired in terms of taste. If you still want to enjoy your cappuccino from the fully automatic machine, we recommend “separate preparation” – i.e. leaving the espresso and milk foam out of the machine separately.