What is a flat white? Here’s all about this espresso drink: how it differs from a latte and how to make a flat white at home!
Flat White, Latte, Cappuccino: What’s the Difference? These espresso coffee drinks are so similar it’s hard to tell them apart. In fact, some coffees have such subtle differences that there really isn’t much of a difference! But as real coffee lovers, Flat White is very important to us: it’s super smooth and still has enough foam for latte art (Alex’ new passion). Turns out you can make a delicious flat white at home that rivals any coffee shop! Here’s more information on what a flat white is and how to make this tasty drink at home.
What is a flat white?
A flat white is a coffee drink with an espresso, frothed milk and a layer of foam on top. It looks like a latte and a cappuccino, but has a thinner layer of foam on top. Modern cafes have very subtle distinctions between these three coffee beverages, and often the lines are blurred. In general, the main differences between a flat white, a latte and a cappuccino are:
- Flat white is the least foamy, with about ¼ inch of microfoam on top. Steam milk is stretched by 20-25%.
- Bar is medium foam, with about ⅜ inch of microfoam on top. Steam milk is stretched by 25-35%.
- cappuccino is fluffy but not foamy, with about ½ inch of microfoam on top. Steamed milk is the most stretched of the three at around 30-50%.
Here’s a graph showing the approximate foam to coffee ratio for each of the espresso drinks!
What is microfoam?
One specificity to keep in mind with a flat white is the type of foam you’re trying to achieve. You want the milk to achieve what baristas call an almost “wet-colored” texture microfoam. It can be tricky to get this texture without steam, so we’ll show you how to approach it with various tools you may have on hand.
Ready for a flat white at home? Here are the materials and ingredients you’ll need for the perfect flat white!
Method 1: Steam milk with an espresso machine (prefer)
The Best Milk Frothing Tool for a Flat White? An espresso machine with a steamer! This creates the perfect micro-foam with the creamy “wet paint” texture. Of course, espresso machines are big and can be expensive, so they’re not for everyone. But they do better flat white! See How to steam milk for more information.
Here’s the espresso machine we use: it’s mid-range and works great. If you want to make one perfect Flat white is the best way to do this. But you can do it by simply frothing milk with a whisk: see below!
It also helps to have a metal jug with a temperature sticker to show you the temperature of your milk as you froth it. We love ours!
Method 2: froth milk
You don’t need an espresso machine to make a good flat white at home! You can just heat and froth the milk, which makes it almost as good. You don’t get the same microfoam texture as you would with a steamer, so it’s not quite what you’d expect from a coffee shop. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the topic of “frothing milk” before you start. Here are three options for the home barista to froth milk, including one you probably already have on hand:
- portable milk frother. A handheld milk frother is inexpensive and makes milk extremely frothy, making it easy to make a macchiato or cappuccino. A perfect flat white is a bit trickier, but it works.
- French press. If you have a French Press for making coffee, it’s perfect for making froth! It makes a nice frothy lather with bubbles that are slightly larger than the frother.
- Whip. A whip works too! This handy tool whips the milk quite well: it also has slightly larger bubbles and produces slightly less foam than the other methods.
Espresso machines for work
Remember, if you don’t have an espresso machine, you also need a way to make espresso! Here are the best ways to brew espresso:
- espresso machine: Again, this is the best and easiest option! This is the espresso machine we use.
- Portable espresso machine: Use a small manual espresso machine: it’s cheaper and portable!
- Aeropress: For the cheapest option, you can use an Aeropress; see our Aeropress espresso recipe. It doesn’t quite taste the same (it comes out a lot more bitter than previous methods), so we wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re in a bind.
The best ingredients for a Flat White
Once you have your gear handy, you need your ingredients! Here’s what you need to make a flat white:
- Espresso roast coffee: Roasting is important to get the right dark, bitter taste. Use a fine grind for the espresso as you prepare it.
- whole milk : Whole milk froths best because it contains the most milk fat. You can also use 2% milk, but you will lose some of the fullness. The most important things about milk: Make sure it’s as fresh as possible! Milk that is approaching its use-by date does not froth well.
- oat milk: What is the best vegan milk for a flat white? oat milk! It’s the best plant-based milk in terms of foamability: it easily beats almond, coconut, and soy milk.
How to cook a white dish at home
Do you have your equipment and ingredients? Let’s make a flat white! Here’s how to prepare this tasty drink at home:
- Make the espresso with an espresso machine, espresso machine or aeropress.
- Frothing milk (with espresso machine): See the recipe below for all the details: follow carefully!
- OR heat milk on the stove and then froth it. A temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect: Here the milk feels warm, but does not boil. Then, using your preferred method, froth until the milk forms small, even bubbles. Wait 30 seconds to 1 minute to allow the foam to work its way into the milk for a sufficiently creamy drink.
- Overall, experiment to find the method that works for you. Everyone has a different set-up and different cravings for their latte. Play around with the method until you find what works for you!
The basics of latte art
Want to make some latte art? You can actually learn how to create simple designs on your white dish countertop at home. Note that an espresso machine is required. Here’s our tutorial on the basics of latte art!
More espresso drinks
We’re obsessed with coffee here, so we’ve prepared all the coffee drinks for you to try! Here are a few others that we recommend you try:
The description
What is a flat white? Here’s all about this espresso drink: how it differs from a latte and how to make a flat white at home!
- 2 espresso (2 ounces)
- 4 oz frothed milk
- Preparation for the Flat White: Grind and tamp the espresso, but don’t pull on it. Keep your milk jug in the fridge: the colder the milk, the more time you have to get the right consistency. Or rinse with very cold water, dry and put in the fridge for a few minutes. Fill your creamer with very fresh whole milk (or oat milk for vegans) to just below the spout, about ¾ cup.
- Prepare espresso: Use an espresso machine or manual espresso machine to prepare two shots of espresso and pour into one cup (or try our Aeropress espresso).
- Steam method (espresso machine): Heat up the steam nozzle. Once prepared, place the baguette just below the surface of the milk, about ½ inch from the side, tilting the jug slightly. Hold it in this position for about 5-10 seconds and stretch the milk about 20-25% in height, using very slight up and down movements. Once stretched and slightly foamy, lower the nozzle another ½ inch and tilt the jug just enough for a spinning vortex that traps the froth and turns it into a velvety microfoam. Keep it still and rotate until the temperature is about 150 degrees Fahrenheit. (Using a pitcher with a temperature sticker is very helpful.) Turn off the steam before removing the wand from the pitcher. Wipe the wand with a clean cloth. Turn it on for 1 second to flush the nozzle. Tap and swirl the pitcher to incorporate the bubbles at the top. The final texture should look like fresh paint or melted ice cream, smooth and velvety. You only use about half that amount and can discard the rest (see note* below).
- OR heat milk to the boil and froth it (without an espresso machine): Heat the milk to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, which is warm to the touch but not simmering. Measure with a food thermometer, or you can get closer by testing with your finger. Use a milk frother, French press, or whisk to froth the milk into small, even bubbles. For a latte, you need small bubbles and slightly thickened milk (if you’re using a milk frother, don’t overdo it: you want the milk to mix with the coffee so you don’t need too much mousse* * ). Note with the French press method, it helps to have at least 1 cup to have more milk to work with: that’s enough for 2 glasses. We strongly recommend you to froth milk when you froth milk for the first time. Wait 30 seconds to 1 minute for the froth to work into the milk and separate slightly (exact timing depends on your frothing method).
- Surcharge: Tap the milk container on the counter and swing it around to dislodge large bubbles. Pour the milk into the middle of the espresso and finish with a light froth.
Remarks
*This is enough for 2 glasses as it is easier to froth a larger amount of milk. Discard excess milk. If you have an espresso machine with two espresso taps, you can use that to make another flat white. (Milk becomes less foamy while it’s sitting, so waiting to make another espresso isn’t ideal.)
**The milk frother works well; for the french press, pump vigorously about 25 times until foamy. Do not beat too hard or the foam will empty!
- Category: drink
- Method: espresso machine
- Kitchen: espresso
- Diet: vegetarian
Keywords: Flat White, What is a Flat White, How do I create a Flat White?
