Latte macchiato – this is how the cult drink is made
Full-bodied coffee taste, lots of milk and delicious foam: How do you prepare the perfect latte macchiato? Find out here!
Latte macchiato is one of the most popular espresso drinks in the world. For many, the coffee specialty is part of a visit to a café. The cult drink has its origins in Italy. Translated, latte macchiato means “spotted milk”. Makes sense, because the basis for a perfect latte is, above all, milk. But what is the “spotted” due to? Quite simply: the layers that make up the latte macchiato. But one after anonther.
Latte macchiato vs cappuccino
What is the difference between a latte macchiato and a cappuccino? Both contain the same ingredients, but differ in proportions, preparation and presentation.
Latte macchiato:
– the milk is frothed much more than with a cappuccino
the drink is served in a tall glass
– the latte macchiato consists of three layers: milk, espresso, milk froth
In short: a latte macchiato is warm milk with a little coffee
Cappuccino:
– the coffee specialty is served in a thick-walled cup
it consists of equal parts espresso, milk and milk foam – but only has two layers
– first the espresso is poured into the cup, then the milk with the froth
In short: cappuccino is coffee with a little warm milk
Latte macchiato: You can’t do it without these utensils
In order to conjure up a latte macchiato at home, you need two things in particular: an espresso maker or an espresso machine and a milk frother. Sure, when it comes to frothing milk, you can use the old-fashioned way if necessary.
Simply froth the hot milk while stirring with a whisk. The advantage: no electricity is consumed. It’s quicker and easier to use an electric or battery-powered milk frother. The electric version is a bit more expensive to buy, but ideal if you want to treat yourself to a latte macchiato more often. You can get the battery-operated device in stores for little money.
Also possible: the manual variant. For this, milk is heated in a heat-resistant pot on the stove. It is then foamed using a special sieve insert.
If you already have a fully automatic coffee machine at home, you can look forward to it. With this, the preparation of the three-layer drink is done in no time at all. The disadvantage of these devices: They are often quite expensive.
Latte macchiato: the ingredients
Milk (1.5% or 3.5%)
freshly brewed espresso
Cinnamon or cocoa as a visual (and tasty) highlight on the milk froth
as required: syrup for a sweet kick
1. Latte macchiato: This is how it works with the milk froth
First things first: The latte macchiato is not served in a coffee cup, but in a tall glass. For the perfect mixture you first need 150 to 200 milliliters of milk. The higher the fat content of the milk, the creamier and denser the first layer will be. Whether you use milk with a fat content of 1.5% or 3.5% is up to you. If in doubt: just try it and see how you like it better.
Now let’s get down to business. Very important: the temperature of the milk. This should be between 60 and 70 degrees hot, otherwise it loses its natural sweetness. You can check the heat with a thermometer, which you use when heating on the stove.
2. Now comes the espresso
One or two cups of the caffeine drink are usually needed for a latte macchiato – depending on your taste. Prepare the perfect latte with fresh Arabica and Robusta espresso beans. These are particularly intense in taste. A little tip: It’s best to buy the beans fresh and grind them into a fine powder yourself with a coffee grinder. Because the finer the flour is and the fresher it is ground, the better the black gold.
The ground beans are then filled into an espresso maker, in which water is then heated to a high temperature. This creates pressure that forces the water through the espresso powder. This process can be done either in an electric espresso maker or in a stovetop model.
If you have a fully automatic coffee machine, it is simply prepared according to the instructions for use.
3. Three layers of enjoyment
Now comes the big challenge. Because the layers are what make the latte macchiato special. First, the hot milk is poured into the glass. The foam must not be added. The second layer is the espresso. Very important: This must be hotter than the milk. That’s the only way it works with the two layers. The foam is added as the grand finale. Now the latte macchiato can be added with cinnamon or cocoa
4. Latte macchiato: The sweet extra kick
Do you like it a bit more unusual or do you have a little sweet tooth? Then how about a sweet syrup to top off your latte macchiato? Whether vanilla, hazelnut, amaretto or chocolate – round off the coffee specialty according to your wishes. Syrup bottles can now be bought everywhere in stores, even in small sample sizes: ideal for anyone who likes to try things out. It is only important that you fill the syrup into the glass first and then continue with the layers as described above
