Richer than a latte, creamier than a cappuccino, but still carrying the real coffee aromas. This is Flat White, a real specialty for open-minded coffee lovers. A drink, which is a transition between strong, short blacks in the morning and the light lattes and cappuccinos of the afternoon. Maximum intensity, perfect softness.
There are several theories circulating in the public consciousness about the origin of this drink. Some people think that it comes from New Zealand, others consider Australia as its birth of origin. According to an Australian food historian, the name originates from Sidney, where basically it meant milk fortified with espresso, thus separating from the “short black” and “long black” varieties.However, the coffee known as the Flat White coffee acquired its popular form in Auckland, New Zealand.
For the preparation of Flat White, you need 1/3-part espresso, or double ristretto, and 2/3 part of the so-called barista foam, which is thinner than the cappuccino milk foam. The foam of the steamed milk is mixed with milk: the result is a soft, light milk foam, which is perfectly suited to the latte art or artistic designs with the combination of brown coffee and white milk foam.
The Flat White is much richer than a latte, on the other hand, it is creamier than a cappuccino, where the intense aromas of coffee and the softness of the milk foam is in perfect harmony. Cappuccino is similar to flat white but has a thicker foam layer instead of micro foam. Milk should be creamy and not frothy, which combined with a short espresso or ristretto avoids hard flavors.The coffee with milk served in Spain is also similar to flat white but uses scalded milk. In Flat White, milk is heated to 60-70 ° C without foaming. Heating the milk at this temperature preserves milk fats and proteins and maintains a sweet taste that is lost at high temperatures.
A latte also lacks the characteristic micro-foam layer of a Flat White.Some people incorrectly assert that the only difference between flat white and latte lies in the container in which they are served. In Australia and New Zealand, there is a generally accepted difference between milk and flat white coffees: the proportion of milk for coffee and the consistency of the milk due to the way it is heated. Milk in a flat white should not be frothy. So, if the long coffees are not enough intense for you and the cappuccino is too strong with its caffeine content, while latte is too milky to enjoy the real coffee flavor, Flat White would be ideal for you. Feel free to taste it!