Is this coffee with milk or milk with coffee?

As a specialty drink of Australia and New Zealand, Flat White is definitely not a cup of Latte. The two are actually very different types of coffee. But if you want to taste a cup of Flat White and the coffee shop doesn't provide it, then Latte may not be a good substitute.

Flat White and Latte are slightly different in different coffee shops. How can you tell the difference between them? Is it coffee with milk or milk with coffee?

Generally, coffee is brewed with a single shot of espresso, but some people think that Flat White must be brewed with a double shot of espresso, although many coffee shops in Australia and New Zealand now also serve Flat White with a single shot of espresso.

In most coffee shops, the portion of Latte is larger than Flat White. Untrained baristas may tell you that this is the difference in portion, but this does not mean that Flat White is just a mini version of Latte. In fact, milk is the real essence.

The finishing touch: milk

If the amount of espresso is set as a fixed amount, then the amount of milk becomes the determining factor, which can transform a cup of espresso into latte, flat white or cappuccino. Although coffee is becoming more and more popular, people have gradually overlooked the importance of milk in mixing a cup of coffee with a delicate taste.

When milk meets the steam pipe, it only takes a few tens of seconds for ordinary liquid milk to transform into a triple realm of rich texture:

The bottom layer is heated liquid milk

The middle layer is a dense small foam

The top layer is relatively hard and large bubbles

By shaking and tapping the container of milk, the liquid milk is mixed with large bubbles to produce dense small foam. One of the aspects to evaluate the professional level of a barista is whether he can create flawless milk foam and then pour it into espresso.

Crema

When hot water hits coffee powder under high pressure, it emulsifies the insoluble oils in the coffee powder and dissolves a large amount of carbon dioxide, which is much greater than the solubility of hot water under normal pressure. This is why countless tiny bubbles appear immediately when coffee flows out of the coffee machine handle. Crema is actually the bubbles of carbon dioxide wrapped around the brewed coffee, also known as the oil of coffee. Crema floats on the surface of the freshly brewed espresso, but it is easily destroyed.

Tips for pouring

Advanced professional baristas only need to control the speed and angle of pouring milk to make different types of coffee. When ordinary baristas make Latte, they will first use a teaspoon to block the foam, pour the milk into the espresso, and then add a ball of milk foam.

When preparing a Flat White, the barista will directly pour the liquid milk and foam into the espresso. How to judge the quality of a Flat White? It depends on whether the milk can be perfectly combined with the Crema to form a smooth light brown surface.

This rigorous process is the reason why the brewed coffee has noticeable differences in taste and flavor.

Latte with a small amount of foam on the surface will taste like a smooth milk flavor, like milk with coffee. Flat White, on the other hand, has velvety smooth milk foam from beginning to end, and the milk and coffee are integrated, so it tastes more like coffee with milk.

Did you taste it?