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The latte macchiato has been an absolute favorite drink for years. It has a mild taste and consists largely of milk. The accompanying espresso provides the necessary coffee nuance and a fine aroma. In the following post we show the perfect preparation method.

What is a latte macchiato?

Along with cappuccino, latte macchiato is one of the most popular coffee specialties worldwide. The beverage originally came from Italy. Here it was traditionally made for children and young people because it has a low coffee and caffeine content. The individual layers of the drink consist of warm milk, espresso and milk froth. A typical latte macchiato with whole milk weighs in at almost 130 calories and 25-30 mg of caffeine.

Origin and history of “spotted milk”

Unfortunately, it is not known when and by whom latte macchiato was invented. However, it has its origins in Italy. In contrast to conventional coffees, this variation should have the lowest possible caffeine content of 25-30 mg caffeine. A typical 200 ml cup of filter coffee has 64-96 mg of caffeine in comparison. The aim was to gradually introduce children and young people to the taste of coffee without giving them an unhealthy amount of caffeine for their age. Incidentally, latte macchiato means “spotted milk”, which is an allusion to its composition. This consists of three superimposed layers. Warm milk is in the lower third, espresso in the middle and milk froth in the upper part.

Difference to cappuccino

Latte macchiato and cappuccino have the same ingredients: espresso and milk (alternative). The difference lies in the preparation. While the cappuccino only contains milk froth, the milk separates from the latte macchiato.

How do you prepare a latte macchiato?

The original Italian recipe for a latte macchiato is quite simple and consists of hot milk and espresso. The preparation looks very uncomplicated: the coffee is quickly poured over the milk. The classic three layers, as we know it in this country, are not used with this method.

To enjoy a latte macchiato with layers, the preparation is a little more difficult than the basic Italian recipe. For the perfect enjoyment, it is recommended to follow the following three steps.

Ingredients needed for a latte macchiato:

An espresso
200 ml milk (alternative)

Step 1:

Froth approx. 200 ml of milk to create a creamy and firm milk froth. This should be firmer than a cappuccino, so froth the milk or milk alternative a little longer.

Step 2:

Slowly pour the frothed milk into a tall, narrow glass. Set the glass aside to allow the foam and milk to separate.

Step 3:

Carefully pour 25-30ml of espresso into the glass. The espresso can easily be poured into the milk using a small jug in order to achieve an optimal layer formation.
Good to know: With an espresso maker you do not prepare espresso, but a strong coffee. This can still be used for the preparation.
When pouring the espresso, remember to pour it slowly in the middle or on the side of the glass. As a result, the coffee should separate the milk from the milk foam and be placed exactly in the middle between the two components. This is how the well-known three layers of latte macchiato are created: milk below, espresso in the middle and milk foam on top.

Why do the three layers mix?

If the layers mix with each other, this can have two reasons:
There is a possibility that the milk has not been properly frothed and the froth lacks firmness.
On the other hand, pouring the espresso too quickly or imprecisely can lead to the milk and coffee being mixed together.

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.

What is latte macchiato to the Italian, is coffee to milk to the German? Not quite. Although both coffee specialties consist of coffee and milk, there are still differences in the recipe, the preparation and of course the taste. And then there’s the caffè latte…

Coffee with milk: the subtle differences

Latte macchiato, caffè latte, coffee with milk – isn’t it all the same? A combination of coffee and milk? no way. These are coffee specialties with different recipes and with different regional traditions:

The caffè latte comes from Italy and is prepared with warm milk and milk foam.
Milk coffee is a German specialty. However, this does not mean the black coffee with a dash of cold milk, as you may know it from the office kitchen, but a drink that is made from 50 percent coffee and 50 percent warm milk. The high proportion of milk is characteristic of the milk coffee and ensures a pleasantly mild, slightly sweet aroma that harmonises perfectly with an intense coffee.
Latte macchiato consists of espresso, milk and milk froth. Typical is the tall glass in which it is served, in which the different layers are particularly visible.

Milk coffee: how to prepare it

How do you prepare a latte yourself? With this recipe, you can enjoy creamy coffee at home:

Brew a strong filter coffee in your coffee maker. Alternatively, for an original Italian preparation, use a Moka, the two-part coffee maker for the stovetop. Note that you need 180 milliliters of coffee for a cup of latte.
At the same time, heat 180 milliliters of fresh whole milk in a small saucepan. Be careful not to overheat the milk. It shouldn’t be more than 70 degrees – that damages the lactose, the milk tastes burnt. If necessary, use a kitchen thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. Tip: For a vegan latte, you can replace whole milk with a plant-based alternative made from soy, almonds or oats. However, keep in mind that the taste and consistency of the milk alternatives will affect your milk coffee.
Fill the fresh coffee into a sufficiently large cup. Then add the heated milk.
Variant: If you like, you can garnish your milk coffee with a little milk froth topping. But that is not a must.

What is cafe au lait?

The café au lait is widespread in France. It is particularly popular there for breakfast with a croissant, which is often dipped in the coffee. Like latte, café au lait consists of equal parts coffee and warm milk. However, the French do not serve the coffee variety in a cup, but in a large, handleless bowl – the so-called “Bol”.

Difference between latte macchiato and milk coffee: This is what makes the latte different

Like coffee with milk, latte macchiato is characterized by a particularly high proportion of milk. Last but not least, the two coffee specialties differ from each other in terms of appearance.

Mixing ratio: For the latte coffee and warm milk are mixed in equal parts. In contrast, you prepare a latte macchiato from one part espresso and four parts milk.
Milk: For a latte, the milk is heated on the stove. Use your espresso machine or a frother to prepare creamy milk froth for a latte macchiato.
Vessel: The latte is served in a large cup. The latte macchiato, on the other hand, is characterized by the large, tall glass.
Preparation: While you first pour the coffee and then the warm milk into the cup for a latte, for a latte macchiato you first pour the hot milk and the milk froth into the glass. Only then does the espresso follow.
Appearance: This method of preparation creates the typical three layers of the latte macchiato, which visually distinguish the coffee specialty from the milk coffee.

Milk coffee and caffè latte: is there a difference?

In addition to the latte macchiato, the caffè latte will take you on a culinary journey to Bella Italia. It is reminiscent of the busy cafés in the big cities where locals enjoy their morning coffee. The milk content is also high in the caffè latte. However, the caffè latte is not to be equated with the milk coffee and differs from the latte macchiato despite the similarity in name.

The preparation of the caffè latte is basically a mixture of milk coffee and latte macchiato:

Instead of filter coffee, the caffè latte is prepared with a single or double espresso. This makes it similar to the latte macchiato.
As with latte macchiato, the milk is not only heated, but frothed. A topping of creamy milk froth is part of the Italian caffè latte.
As with milk coffee, with caffè latte the coffee or espresso comes first and then the milk goes into the glass or cup.

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.

A cup of macchiato promises coffee enjoyment like in Bella Italia. But what is the difference between an espresso macchiato and a latte macchiato – and how can the specialties be perfectly prepared?

The fine difference between espresso macchiato and latte macchiato

Espresso macchiato and latte macchiato sound similar in name, but they are two different drinks. The espresso macchiato (also known as macchiato for short) is a genuine Italian specialty. With this type of coffee, the espresso is “stained” with milk (macchiato). It is characteristic of the drink that the barista only adds a little milk froth to the espresso.

The latte macchiato, on the other hand, consists of espresso and significantly more milk. Conversely, with this variant, the milk is “stained” by the espresso.

How do you make latte macchiato?

The perfect latte macchiato is served in a glass, because this is how the color nuances of the espresso and the milk can be seen. The hot drink consists of a total of three layers: the milk is at the bottom of the glass, then the espresso follows in the middle and the relatively firm and creamy milk foam is enthroned at the top.

How can the layers be separated? Quite simply: When pouring espresso and milk froth, caution and the right order is required.

First pour the milk into the glass.
Now add the milk froth.
Finally, carefully pour the espresso through the milk froth.

Prepare espresso macchiato: Here’s how

The preparation of an espresso macchiato does not require quite as much skill as the latte. To serve the perfect espresso macchiato, first froth the milk. Tip: The froth is particularly firm and retains its consistency longer if you use milk with a high fat content.

Prepare the espresso separately. First pour the espresso into the cup and garnish it with the milk froth.
The delicious hot drink is available in different versions:

● Italians like to drink a doppio macchiato, which consists of twice the amount of espresso. This variation is also often served in a glass. Incidentally, an espresso macchiato tastes particularly good when the cup is warm.
● Cold macchiato is a pleasure, especially on warm summer days. This is prepared without foam. Instead, the espresso is simply mixed with some cold milk and called espresso macchiato freddo.

 

You know espresso, café latte and cappuccino. But what is a ristretto? And what exactly do you need to order if you want to try a shot espresso or over ice? Mamis Caffè introduces you to ten delicious espresso variants. With this knowledge, you can master the drinks menu on your next holiday in Italy like an expert.

Italians don’t drink espresso, they drink coffee – at any time of the day or night. Whether on the go at the bar, after a meal in the restaurant or at home fresh from the stove, the quick pick-me-up is omnipresent. To ensure that there is something suitable for every taste and every occasion, various variations have developed from the classic espresso. So many that even connoisseurs lose track of things.

1. Ristretto

Strong, stronger ristretto. The ristretto is even smaller and stronger than the classic espresso. The same amount of ground coffee is prepared with less water. This is how the shortened or “narrowed”, almost viscous version of the caffè is created.

2. Doppio

After a long night in Rome, you order a caffé doppio, the double espresso, the next morning. It’s quite simply double the amount.

3. Lungs

The lungo is basically the counterpart to the ristretto, a lengthened espresso. The same amount of ground coffee is prepared with more water and served in a correspondingly larger cup.

4. Americano

The caffé americano is a double espresso that is diluted with water. Unlike the lungo, the additional water does not go into the machine, but is added afterwards. Professionals fill a cappuccino cup two-thirds full with hot water and pour the double espresso straight from the machine on top.

5. Coffee macchiato

Beware of confusion: The Caffè macchiato is an espresso with milk froth, which you drink from a small espresso cup. The latte macchiato is much better known in Germany. In this version, an espresso is poured into a large glass of frothed milk, creating the well-known three layers of coffee, milk and milk froth.

6. Corretto

If the Italians want to fix or “correct” their caffè, that means a strong sip of hard liquor. For the Corretto, an espresso is refined with grappa, cognac, amaretto or sambuca. Do you have a special preference? Then order the right spirit right away with: “Caffè corretto con Amaretto, prego.”

7. Coffee freddo

Espresso also tastes cold. A caffè freddo is a chilled, heavily sweetened espresso served in a tall glass with ice cubes. Tip: professionals pour the fresh espresso directly onto the ice cubes. If it cools down too slowly, the coffee can become bitter.

8. Bicerin

Now chocolate comes into play. Bicerin is the right variant for cocoa lovers: Here, a hot chocolate is refined with espresso. The basis is milk and bitter cocoa powder, the drink is sweetened and served with a little cream or milk foam.

9. Morocco

For a Maroccino, liquid chocolate is poured into a glass, followed by the espresso, topped with a little frothed milk and cocoa powder.

10. Coffee moca

Another chocolaty coffee specialty is the Caffè moca. To do this, an espresso is mixed with twice the amount of hot milk and cocoa or liquid chocolate. The moca also tastes best with a topping of cream or milk foam.

Curious? Don’t wait until your next vacation in Italy. With high-quality coffee beans from Italy, you can make an aromatic espresso at home, which forms the ideal basis for your new favorite drink.

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.