How do you make a Flat White coffee? Think Australian accent cappuccino!

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August 23, 2022

How do you make a Flat White coffee? Think Australian accent cappuccino!

RIP cappuccino, long live Flat White! Rarely has a subject been so heatedly debated in the coffee world as the demise of cappuccino. Starbucks has been sneaking this coffee drink off the menu for a while, and baristas around the world roll their eyes in disdain when some idiot orders it at their coffee bar.

Because if you are a bit with the times, you order a Flat White! That is the cool brother of the cappuccino…

The reason for this is simple if we are to believe the many online articles and discussions on this subject: a cappuccino is prepared incorrectly far too often!

We're talking about the ratio between milk foam and espresso – and about the order in which the liquids come into the glass or cup – which all too often turns a cappuccino into a latte macchiato.

I find it all a bit exhausting to be honest. So much pressure is put on the shoulders of the Flat White that the milk drink is even supposed to bridge the gap between an espresso macchiato and a latte…

But is that possible? What exactly is a Flat White? How is it prepared? Do I have an ultimate Flat White recipe? Why is this new coffee drink with a lot of milk so much better than a cappuccino? And can you really taste a difference? We'll find out together below!

Flat White vs Cappuccino: Similarities, Differences and the Secret of the Milk Foam

cappuccino is Italian and so called because of the “milk foam hat” (or “cap” in Italian) that the espresso wears in a cup of about 180 ml. A light “spherical shape” is of the utmost importance – according to the Italians themselves.

Over time, however, it has evolved into a drink served in a gigantic mug where themilk foamis stacked as high as possible – as if there is a prize to be won for the highest “foam tower”.

And chocolate is delicious, so is whipped cream – we agree on that. So we sprinkle some cocoa powder on the cappuccino and stir in some cream. Can't be bad!

Oh yeah, then someone else came up with the stupid ⅓ rule: one third espresso, one third warm milk, one third milk foam. I see the Italians rolling their eyes this far!

In other words: not much remains of the original cappuccino. A great example of how Italian coffee is being wiped out outside Italy!

And while the whole world was “reinventing” cappuccino, something completely different was brewing in Australia…

“Down Under” has always been a country of (British) immigrants, so the Italians also came to the country of Crocodile Dundee. And they brought their entire coffee culture with them, including cappuccino (then properly brewed).

But we all know that the British are more likely to have it for tea . It was from this clash of cultures that the Flat White arose:

The basis of an espresso shot and milk foam were preserved, as was the original size of the cup. However, the Aussies made the milk froth much more fluid , so they could (in theory, or not) pour it into their tea as well. Yet someone added the tea-worthy milk froth to the coffee, and the Flat White was born!

At first, many Aussies probably wondered “ What is a Flat White? “, but meanwhile, coffee lovers all over the world know that the “flat white” is so called because the foam is less firm, so it also stays “flat” on the cup. And what's in a name : the entire drink becomes quite light in color due to the large amount of milk foam.

Recipe: 

1 small espresso shot 100 to 150 ml carefully frothed milk That's it ! Really! No large glasses full of milk foam, no other fantasies (such as with a cappuccino), no additional ingredients. But how many ml is a shot of espresso? About 25ml – anything above that will produce a much too dark drink not worthy of the Flat White name. But how do you get that perfect, liquid milk foam? Unfortunately, that's only possible with the right equipment and enough time – practice 'til you drop!

Taste of a Flat White: Is it really different from a cappuccino?

If you take the above into account, there is indeed a difference between a cappuccino and a Flat White. The coffee or espresso beans used may differ, which of course gives a different taste. But the biggest difference is in the centimeters – or rather millimeters in this case.

The “Australian white” has more fluid froth that falls flat on the cup, while the frothed milk in a cappuccino is bulging and firmer. That in itself does not make a very big difference in taste, but it does give a different mouthfeel.

So I don't really understand why everyone is suddenly AGAINST a cappuccino, and a Flat White is suddenly the drink of the moment.

Isn't this just a clever marketing ploy to re-sell (almost) the same drink in a hip, new jacket? So that everyone suddenly feels completely trendy when ordering a “Flat White coffee” – including an Australian accent? Wouldn't it be smarter to reapply the same quality standards to a cappuccino to create a delicious duo that can satisfy everyone's tastes? 

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