Coffee is a popular drink served in all catering establishments. A professional barista chooses different Arabica varieties and additives to get an original taste. This is often how new menu items appear on popular food chains. Latte macchiato, which is in great demand today, was invented in a similar way.
General information about latte macchiato
More than 50 years have passed since the appearance of a new type of latte macchiato coffee, combining its classic bitterness and the tenderness of milk. Today it can be seen in almost all establishments serving drinks.
Origin story
Previously, it was not customary to drink brewed grains of the madder family plant with milk or other “softeners” of taste. Society did not accept such experiments until Italian cuisine became fashionable throughout Europe.
In the 19th century The British began to actively visit the Apennine Peninsula, where they took a different look at the drink made from roasted and ground grains from trees of the Rubiaceae family. Here it was customary to consume it with a small addition of milk. But the cappuccino was still too strong for tea lovers. Then the innkeepers tried to increase revenue, for which they began to soften the invigorating drink by adding more cream or milk. This was the first step towards the emergence of latte macchiato.
Classic coffee with milk is the progenitor of latte macchiato.
The delicate cocktail familiar to our contemporaries was invented later. It is impossible to say exactly who first decided to add coffee to milk, and not vice versa. There is a theory that the new recipe appeared even before the invention of special machines with cappuccino makers and automatic grinding of grains. Even today, latte macchiatos are made by hand, and coffee machines are used exclusively to prepare the base.
The new type of coffee gained fame in 1989, when it appeared on the menu of the Starbucks food service chain. Representatives of this brand assured consumers that the drink was made according to the traditional recipe of Italian innkeepers. But residents of the cocktail’s homeland still preferred the classic cappuccino.
The popularity turned out to be temporary: by the beginning of 2000, the recipe was forgotten again. This menu item was absent from coffee shops until 2016, when Starbucks decided to revive the once popular cocktail. By this point, the name “latte macchiato” meant nothing to marketers. The management of the coffee shop chain had to re-teach its employees to reproduce the traditional recipe of Italian innkeepers. Today, there is no need to explain how the new drink differs from Arabica or Robusta with whipped milk, even to those who drink nothing but tea.
Features and Properties
Latte macchiato is often confused with other cocktails that are similar in taste or appearance.
Although it is not difficult to distinguish it:
- It is prepared from the same ingredients as latte, but using a different technology. Coffee is added to milk, not the other way around.
- When serving a drink in a thick glass glass, it is easy to see the 3 layers. The foam forms a clear line, and the transition from coffee to milk looks like a neat gradient. The heterogeneity of the structure distinguishes the drink prepared according to a traditional Italian recipe from a latte. The shades depend on the selected Arabica variety.
- There is more milk than in cappuccino, so the coffee taste is less pronounced.
- No alcohol or cream is added to it.
Latte macchiato coffee has three layers and a heterogeneous structure.
Composition and calorie content
Arabica beans are always used for preparation. The second required ingredient is milk. Thanks to it, the calorie content of a macchiato is higher than that of an Americano. After drinking 1 serving, a person receives from 110 to 130 kcal of energy.
What is a macchiato
"Macchiato" is translated from Italian as "spotted". It is this characteristic spot on the airy foam of the drink that can be seen when serving a latte macchiato. It is formed during the preparation process, as a result of pouring a thin stream of hot espresso into already frothed milk.
Not a single Italian can imagine his existence without coffee. So that their children could also enjoy an aromatic coffee drink that would also be healthy, they came up with the macchiato. The reduced caffeine content makes it accessible and desirable for children.
Gradually, this cocktail became quite popular among adults. Today, its delicate milky coffee taste attracts a huge number of connoisseurs.
Drink recipes
The base is always a classic latte macchiato. Once cooking is complete, you can add syrup or other ingredients to enhance the flavor.
Classical
Pour milk preheated to approximately 60°C into a glass for Irish coffee and whip up the foam using a cappuccino maker. Then pour in the espresso in a thin stream. If done correctly, there will be foam at the top and the coffee will form a middle layer. Beginners may not always be able to reproduce the recipe exactly the first time, but a couple of tries is enough to learn how to form neat layers of coffee, milk and foam.
Caramel
To make a sweet cocktail, you will need 2 tsp. vanilla syrup. It is added to heated milk before whipping. Further preparation is carried out according to the recipe for a classic latte macchiato. The finishing touch is to decorate the foam with liquid caramel (about 4 tsp).
Latte macchiato with caramel.
With added syrup
You can use special additives. Thanks to syrups, coffee prepared according to a traditional Italian recipe acquires a fruity or berry flavor. For example, an original improvement to the recipe would be to add notes of blueberries or strawberries. To do this, just add 50 ml of the appropriate syrup, half of which should be poured into a glass, and the rest - into 150 ml of milk before whipping.
Latte macchiato can be prepared with various syrups: berry, fruit, etc.
Espresso macchiato
Arabica is used for preparation. 30 ml of espresso is brewed from it. Then whipped cold milk is poured into the base. If desired, you can add syrup, sugar, caramel or chocolate chips. You can decorate the drink, emphasizing its taste, with cinnamon or almonds.
Contraindications for use
You should not overuse macchiato, because it contains a large amount of caffeine.
Like any drink containing caffeine, macchiato is contraindicated for people suffering from atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure. Due to its fairly high strength, it is worth limiting its consumption for children and the elderly; however, even an absolutely healthy person should not drink more than 5 cups a day.
But coffee will bring an invigorating effect in the first half of the day; Italians, for example, drink it exclusively in the morning.
But you shouldn’t drink a big meal with a macchiato, since this combination slows down the digestive processes.
Macchiato itself can hardly be called high-calorie, because the classic recipe contains only 54 kcal per 100 ml. If you add sugar or various syrups to it, the calorie content increases sharply. Options with additives should not be used by people watching their figure.
Required ingredients for Latte Macchiato
Experienced baristas do not use Robusta beans to prepare latte macchiato - only 100% Arabica. Sometimes it is acceptable to make a mixture with excelsa to get a fruity flavor.
Arabica beans are used for latte macchiato coffee.
Professionals determine the degree of roasting by the color of the grain. When making a latte macchiato, it is important that the base is not strong. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a light roast - from cinnamon to Viennese.
If you need a big boost, you can make a strong base. City roasting is perfect for this. For a softer base, use light grains - cinnamon or New England. Grinding is chosen based on the method of preparing coffee. For example, espresso can be brewed in a Turk or any coffee maker.
The finished drink should not contain grounds. Therefore, when using a French press, filtering should not be neglected.
Milk selection
According to the traditional Italian recipe, the cocktail is never made using cream. But skim milk is not suitable either, because... You can’t get a fluffy foam from it. Therefore, the drink is prepared only using a cappuccino maker.
Sometimes it is acceptable to use a blender, but 3% or more fat milk must be heated (to no more than +65°C).
The difference is inside
The tastes of the two types of lattes differ due to different proportions of the ingredients they contain. Macchiato has a brighter coffee taste; the proportions of coffee and milk are 1:3. As a rule, double espresso is used to prepare it. Its strength is softened by the tenderness of milk, but the amount of caffeine is not reduced, so this drink is not recommended for children.
The basis of the traditional latte macchiato recipe is:
- milk 100 ml (fat content not less than 3.2%);
- espresso or otherwise prepared coffee (strained) 50-70 ml;
- grated chocolate, cocoa or cinnamon powder for decoration.
For lovers of sweet desserts, add sugar to taste while preparing coffee.
Home cooking technology
The mild taste is easy to obtain without using a professional coffee machine. Since the base for a latte macchiato can even be brewed in a Turkish oven, reproducing the Starbucks signature recipe is easy. The cappuccino maker can be easily replaced with a blender. The main thing is that the fat content of the milk is high (more than 3%), otherwise the foam will not be fluffy enough. It is unacceptable to use cream, because... The consistency of the drink will be too thick.
Milk for making latte macchiato must have a fat content of more than 3%.
What to serve with and how to drink this coffee
One way to serve macchiato is with grated chocolate and cinnamon.
Classic macchiato is served in small coffee cups. If desired, make a design on the foam using cocoa or grated chocolate.
But the caramel version is best served in a tall glass glass, which will allow you to enjoy not only the taste, but also the beautiful appearance.
You can serve this glass with a wide straw or a long spoon, although it is still not advisable to mix the layers together.
The aromatic delicate taste of macchiato will complement any sweet dessert and serve as an excellent accompaniment to chocolate, cheese, fruits and berries. But it is not advisable to use macchiato with fish and meat dishes, since most of the coffee notes will be lost.
Rules for serving and consumption
Since the cocktail appeared thanks to Italian innkeepers, it is customary to drink it according to their rules. You need to drink latte macchiato slowly, savoring the taste. It is unacceptable to swallow the entire glass in one gulp. Italians exclude added sugar, but are relaxed about chocolate chips. It is permissible to use syrup, but the drink should not become too sweet because of it.
Drinking latte macchiato is customary at the table. Drinking this cocktail at the bar is considered disrespectful to the work of the barista. Although the drink is usually served warm, you can get it hot. Just say “caffe bollente” to the waiter.
For serving, use a glass with a volume of 250-300 ml. The glass must be thick so that the latte macchiato remains warm.
Latte macchiato is consumed warm or hot while sitting at a table.
Sometimes the coffee cocktail is poured into cups. Experienced barista designers try to select dishes in warm pastel shades so that visitors can fully feel the comfort when drinking 3-layer Arabica coffee with milk. Less commonly, cups are replaced with mugs. The use of glasses is considered unacceptable.
Necessary components for preparation
You only need two ingredients: milk and coffee. Espresso is often prepared from Arabica beans or from a blend of Arabica and Robusta 80/20.
It's not just adults who drink the cocktail. Due to its low content, children are allowed to drink it. Therefore, sugar or syrup is appropriate in it. Any syrup you like can be used as a syrup. Cocoa and cinnamon are often used to decorate the top.
You can add cream to your coffee milkshake. Their combination with milk is also selected, but more often it is 1:1.
Fundamental differences from latte coffee
Today, almost everyone can recognize the cocktail. It differs in taste and appearance.
Visual difference
If a latte macchiato is served in a glass cup or glass, the gradient from milk to coffee is clearly visible through the walls. There is lush foam on top, making the drink look especially “warm”.
Differences in the selection of ingredients
Only Arabica beans are used to prepare this cocktail. Excelsa is less often added to give the aroma fruity notes. At the same time, expensive varieties are almost never used, because the taste of milk always dominates.
By production
The main difference between latte macchiato and other types of coffee is the order in which the cup is filled. Warm frothed milk is always poured in first, followed by espresso in a thin stream.
Coffee latte macchiato: first milk, then espresso.
Taste
The cocktail is considered the least strong of all coffee variations. Thanks to the large amount of milk, even the most picky coffee lovers will enjoy it.
Difference in taste
Despite the fact that the set of components is approximately the same, the drinks taste different. It’s easy to see this for yourself by trying both coffee cocktails. In a latte, the dominant flavor is coffee, while in a latte macchiato, the dominant flavor is milk.
This is because a macchiato has one part more milk, while a classic latte has more robusta. This mixture of grains is taken just so that the bitter grains do not allow the milk to drown out the original aroma.
Options on the theme “Coffee drinks”
In the near future, coffee shops will also appear on the streets of our cities, offering not just one, and not even 5, but 10 types of coffee drinks, the names of some of them to this day remain not only incomprehensible to us, but also unpronounceable. But there are also those that gourmets love from the first sip. Naturally, a classic of coffee art is dark, fragrant and unique espresso. But not everyone and not always prefer to start their morning with a portion of this invigorating drink. There are also those who adore “more tender and sweeter”. For those who want to transform their life into a holiday, such coffee shops offer latte, cappuccino, mochaccino, macchiato, glass frappe, etc. It is difficult to list all the options on the topic of coffee desserts, because it will take a lot of time. Moreover, each country has its own options for creating the same cappuccino, which should not be confused with mochaccino, because the difference between these two drinks is striking, both in production technique and in taste properties.
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Viennese coffee
Viennese coffee shops are famous all over the world. Viennese coffee is not just an invigorating drink, it is a real delicacy. The first coffee shop in Vienna was opened in the 17th century, it was then that its owner introduced the tradition of filtering coffee from the grounds, adding cream and sugar to it. This is the kind of coffee that came to be called “Viennese coffee.” Today there are many varieties of Viennese coffee. But the classic of the genre is high-quality espresso with the addition of frothed milk under the most delicate blanket of whipped cream.
Benefits of latte
People started brewing coffee a long time ago. The main purpose of its use is to give tone to the body and vigor to the spirit. Adding dairy products to hot coffee has become popular recently, but the practice has become widespread. The fact is that milk is a source of calcium. Every child knows that they need to drink it regularly.
A drink with the addition of this ingredient is really useful. But people suffering from hypertension should abstain from it, as coffee stimulates an increase in blood pressure.
Decaf latte is healthier. Even children are allowed to use this product.
It has been proven that 1 cup of milk espresso per day helps improve memory and attention.
How to make mochaccino?
We will add components:
- Whipped cream ,
- Hot chocolate,
- 100 ml milk,
- 2 tablespoons coffee,
- sugar and cinnamon to taste.
First, pour the hot chocolate into the glass in which we will serve our mochaccino. If you don’t have it ready, just melt the chocolate over the fire with a little milk.
Whisk the milk foam. Use the same principle as described above. Heat the milk in a saucepan and beat it with a mixer. When ready, pour into a glass of hot chocolate.
Brew espresso and add it as the final layer to our drink. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon or chocolate. This is one of the traditional mochaccino coffee recipes.
Art latte
In coffee shops you can order a latte with an art design. That is, there is an image of foam on top. It turns out beautifully, but how to drink a latte with such an image so that the pattern lasts longer. These drinks are served with straws. Then you can drink and the pattern will not be disturbed until you can almost see the bottom.
How are such drawings made? The milk foam is brought to 67 -65 degrees. And when milk is poured into the container, it begins to rock and different patterns appear. Then, using a toothpick or other sharp object, the drawing is completed.
This is done by experienced baristas. They know the exact proportions of milk and coffee. Coffee preparation time is from 20 to 30 seconds. To create a drawing, you need to be very fast and dexterous. Latte drawings resemble: hearts, twigs, apples. So:
- The basis for the future design of an experienced barista is a base in the shape of a heart, rosette, or tulip.
- After applying the basic pattern, the coffee sommelier, with the spout of the cappuccino maker lowered, pours in milk like a snake with a slightly swaying motion.
- Having filled the glass almost completely, he lifts the cappuccino maker and seems to cross out the pattern with milk.
This is how the basic rosette pattern appears.
Drink your latte slowly. Enjoy every moment. You can eat the foam with a spoon. And for a drink, use a straw. Treat yourself to a delicious cocktail at home. As you understand, making a latte doesn’t take too much time.
Having greeted the morning of a new day with a cup of coffee, we get good spirits, clarity of thoughts, and get into the mood for work. This bouquet of positive emotions will be complemented by aesthetic pleasure and a new taste if you decide to prepare a luxurious coffee cocktail called a latte. Stress on the first syllable!
Americano and espresso - differences
Americano and espresso represent a group of coffees prepared in filter coffee makers or special coffee machines. The difference between these drinks is the caffeine concentration. Espresso is coffee containing a huge concentration of caffeine. Americano contains less caffeine than espresso. Americano is prepared in two ways. The first involves adding hot water to regular espresso, while the second, on the contrary, involves diluting the hot water with coffee. The correct proportion is one part espresso and 3 parts water. The volume of the finished drink should be 120 ml.
It is not possible to prepare espresso manually at home. Making real espresso involves forcing steam through ground coffee, which allows you to concentrate a huge concentration of caffeine in a small volume of water. You can make real coffee using special coffee machines, which, under a pressure of more than 9 bar, allow you to get a real tasty drink. Only with professional equipment can you get the right coffee. It is served in small thick-walled cups, which are also pre-heated. The light foam on the drink plays an extraordinary role. The color of the foam should be a warm nut color. The foam base should be dense.
Each of the presented drinks is different from each other, but they all have an unsurpassed taste and smell that will lift your tone for the whole day.
Cappuccino and mochaccino: the same espresso, milk, milk foam - but what is the difference?
The lack of coffee plantations did not in any way prevent the Italians from entering the history of the coffee industry as a country that:
- made espresso
- invented an espresso machine,
- introduced a new profession - barista,
- made a new kind of art - latte art,
- made our life sweeter and more enjoyable.
How else can you find out that it was the Italians who filled our boring everyday life with such delights as cappuccino, latte and mochaccino. So if Rome lost its own status as the capital of world fashion to Tokyo and New York, then the Italians will no longer give up their well-deserved regalia in the coffee industry to anyone. At least, as the inhabitants of this sunny country joke, “everything that could be invented from coffee has already been invented by our ancestors.”
What kind of latte drink is this?
Initially it was prepared for children. Because there is a lot of milk and little coffee. Then the adults tried it, added a little more coffee, made it into layers and began serving it with straws.
It contains three components:
- espresso 1 serving;
- milk 2 servings;
- foam on the surface.
Baristas suggested applying designs to the surface of coffee. This caused general delight. And now every second coffee lover orders a latte with a pattern. But you can’t admire the patterns for a long time. How to drink a latte correctly to enjoy what you see longer?
