The combination of coffee and milk is one of the most elementary and at the same time effective. Some people mix regular instant coffee with boiling water and top it with a generous portion of milk; someone goes to a coffee shop and orders a cappuccino or latte. Everyone invariably gets their share of pleasure, everyone has long ago decided what they like...
But once you change your favorite coffee shop, strange things begin to happen. The latte at the new establishment turns out to be more like a cappuccino. And their cappuccino is completely indistinguishable from what your dad brews for himself in the morning before work...
Each coffee shop prepares milk drinks in its own way. However, there are fundamental differences and a canon: if you do not follow it during the preparation process, the final creation cannot be called either a cappuccino or a latte. Let's figure out what the key features of the most popular coffee and milk drinks are.
Why is milk added to coffee?
The velvety blackness of coffee is diluted with a delicate milky taste for various reasons.
- Soften the natural bitterness of the taste of natural coffee.
- Reduce caffeine content.
- Increase caloric intake.
- Cool the finished coffee.
- Diversify taste sensations.
In every kitchen you can prepare such a drink by combining milk and coffee in any proportion. The recipe does not have a special name; it is named after the main ingredients - “coffee with milk” .
After all, all the recipes that we will talk about below are commercial products that require their own names and even legends. Homemade coffee with milk does not need branding, but it also has a little secret. If you want a truly delicious drink, use only heated milk. The taste and even color will be much better compared to coffee with cold milk added.
How milk changes the taste of coffee
According to true connoisseurs of classic ground coffee, the subtle milky flavor is added to the recipe for a reason. This is done for the following reasons:
- coffee becomes softer in taste, the bitter notes of coffee beans are no longer felt;
- espresso with low-fat milk significantly reduces the content of natural caffeine;
- coffee with milk is a high-calorie drink that can not only charge the body with positive energy, but also give strength for the whole day;
- For people who cannot drink drinks that are too hot, milk helps cool them down to a pleasant temperature;
- By drinking a cup of espresso with the addition of milk, a person gets the opportunity to make his taste sensations more vibrant and varied.
Every housewife has her own recipes for the family's favorite drink. It's not difficult to prepare. The main thing is to maintain the required proportions of the components. Each family may have its own proportions; they are selected according to the personal preferences of family members.
If Americano is used to prepare the treat, the taste will not be as rich. Americano is espresso coffee diluted with hot water in a 1:1 ratio.
When preparing coffee espresso with cream at home, you can use a little trick that will help make the drink more tasty. For this purpose, preheated milk is used as an additive. If you use this tip, you may be pleasantly surprised at how the color of the product changes. The coffee will take on a beautiful caramel color.
Cappuccino
The basis of cappuccino is espresso and milk. To prepare a cappuccino, it is heated and whipped into foam. The trick is to ensure that the milk contains both foam and liquid. Frothed milk is poured into a cup of hot espresso, forming a thick foam. In the process of adding milk, it is partially mixed with coffee, so the foam on the finished cappuccino has brownish stains around the edges.
Standard cappuccino proportions:
- 1/3 espresso
- 1/3 milk
- 1/3 whipped foam of dense, smooth consistency
Cappuccino is recognized as the most popular recipe in European and American coffee shops. Its volume can vary from 150 to 200 ml, depending on the establishment, but a mandatory serving rule is that the foam should rise slightly above the edge of the cup. The dense consistency allows the foam to retain its shape and not spill out over the top.
Cappuccino is sometimes sprinkled with additives on top - cinnamon, chocolate, cocoa. It is drunk without stirring the foam, passing the coffee with milk through the silky foam structure with each sip. Connoisseurs of the drink do not add sugar to it in order to more fully experience the nutty and milky bouquet.
Coconut milk
It has a pleasant sweetness and an unusual taste.
This milk is obtained from coconut pulp, whipped together with water in a blender. There is no protein in this milk, so it does not foam; it is best to simply heat it without trying to increase the volume of foam. When you try to increase the volume, large bubbles appear that quickly disappear; from an aesthetic point of view, this looks like a failed experiment.
Latte
To prepare it, use a shot of espresso and a lot of milk. Foam is also present in latte, but in smaller quantities than in cappuccino. It has a different consistency - loose, moist, with a lot of large bubbles.
Standard latte proportions:
- 1/5 espresso
- 3/5 hot milk
- 1/5 milk froth
It is more correct to call a latte a cocktail. The coffee component in it is minimal. In addition, lattes often add large amounts of sugar and toppings, which makes them overly sweet, according to coffee connoisseurs.
Latte has a solid volume, which has shown an upward trend in recent years. Today you won’t surprise anyone with a glass of 400 ml drink.
This version of coffee with milk provides great opportunities for creativity. Its taste qualities are constantly diversified by adding various syrups and fruit water, and painting on its surface has become a separate direction and is called “latte art.” World championships are held on it.
The coffee recipe with a lot of milk has another option - latte macchiato. If a regular latte is stirred to form a homogeneous liquid with a top layer of foam, then a macchiato is poured in layers. Coffee, milk and foam are clearly separated in the glass. Unlike a regular latte macchiato, latte macchiato is not stirred, but sugar and toppings are added to the drink during its preparation, before serving.
The main thing is not to confuse! Two macchiato options, both of which are excellent
There are two basic versions of the drink - the classic espresso macchiato and the lighter latte macchiato. The first is typical for Italy, where it was invented, the second - for other countries, including Russia.
Latte macchiato is quite different from the “classic”, and although it is not customary to classify it as a separate coffee subclass, it should be remembered that this option has completely different characteristics and preparation technology.
Espresso macchiato (classic Italian macchiato)
The peculiarity of this drink is that the bright and strong taste of coffee is slightly “smoothed out” due to milk, which plays a secondary role.
To prepare a classic Italian macchiato, you usually use one shot of espresso, to which are added 2 teaspoons of warm milk and a little milk foam. For better preservation of aroma and temperature, the drink is served in ceramic demitasse cups (like espresso). The ratio of milk and coffee is approximately 1:3.
Latte macchiato
This recipe does it the other way around. The warmed milk becomes the dominant part of the drink. To prepare a latte macchiato, take milk with a thick head of foam, into which a portion of espresso is carefully poured in a thin stream. In this case, if everything is done correctly, you will be able to see a clear multi-layered gradient: first thick milk, then espresso, and then a layer of foam with a neat spot at the top. Latte macchiato is usually served in a glass cup (so that the picturesque layers are clearly visible), with a straw and a long spoon. The ratio of milk to coffee is usually 3:1.
Latte macchiato differs from regular latte in its preparation method, appearance and presentation. Despite the similarities in ingredients, they are two completely different drinks.
What to choose?
Let's summarize what was said above again:
- espresso macchiato is a little milk in coffee;
- Latte macchiato is a little coffee in milk.
At the same time, the amount of coffee is always the same, but the volume of milk varies, creating a difference in taste and presentation.
The classic macchiato is ideal for those who love the bright taste of espresso, but want to soften its strength a little. If your soul requires something sweeter and milkier, the ideal option would be a latte macchiato.
Macchiato
To prepare a macchiato, you will need a shot of espresso and milk, whipped into thick foam. It is spooned from the pitcher onto the surface of the hot coffee. Unlike cappuccino, milk is not poured into the coffee; it remains black. Whipped milk froth is a decoration, simultaneously softening the strength and burning expressiveness of the espresso.
Standard macchiato proportions:
- 3/4 espresso
- 1/4 milk froth
It is better not to add sugar to the drink in order to fully enjoy its taste. The macchiato does not need to be stirred; the foam should remain on top. The milky color of the foam can be stained by coffee drops, hence the name, because “macchiato” means “spotted”.
Macchiato is served in regular espresso cups, drunk without stirring, passing the hot and strong drink through the milky softness of the foam.
Who prefers to drink coffee with milk?
Coffee with milk is loved not only for its delicate taste. The drink is used as an alternative to natural black coffee. Who can take note of these recipes?
- Adding milk reduces the caffeine content of the drink and also reduces the potency of caffeine's effects on the brain. Therefore, coffee with milk is useful for those who want to reduce the dose of the active substance consumed.
- The coffee-milk mixture is recommended for people with various systemic diseases, for whom strong black coffee is included in the list of prohibited products. If it’s difficult to give up your favorite drink, then coffee with milk will be an excellent compromise between “I want” and “I can’t.”
- Coffee with milk can also be given to teenagers. Strictly speaking, it is generally better for children under 14 years of age not to indulge in an invigorating drink, but if for some reason your child drinks coffee, then dilute it with a good portion of natural milk to reduce the dose of caffeine.
If you are on a diet or strictly monitor your calorie intake, then your option is coffee with milk with a fat content of no more than 1%. And you definitely shouldn’t drink a latte - one serving of the drink can contain 100 kilocalories, and sugar and toppings raise this figure to 250-350.
Soy milk
It has a rich taste with a dense texture; it contains a large amount of protein, 3-4 g per 100 ml of product, which makes it easy to foam. For people who have nut allergies, soy milk may be a good option. When foaming, it is important to monitor the temperature; it is recommended to heat the milk to 60'C, because, as with almond milk, there is a possibility of curdling. If you froth the milk to the desired consistency, you can even perform latte art and pour an elegant tulip or rosette into the espresso.
The harm and benefits of coffee with milk
Each product has its own set of properties.
Benefits of coffee with milk
- Supports strength.
- Supplies the body with a portion of calcium.
- Reduces the effects of caffeine and makes its effect on the body much milder.
- Gives new taste sensations.
- Softens traditional coffee bitterness.
Harm of coffee with milk
- It has a higher calorie content than natural coffee without additives.
- Masks the presence of caffeine, making you take coffee with milk lightly. Many people tend to overuse cappuccino as if it were not coffee at all. The presence of milk does not turn the drink into a decaf cocktail, but only softens the taste and effect of caffeine.
What is your favorite coffee with milk recipe?
What types of coffee go best with milk?
For drinks with plant milk, it is better to use rich varieties that have less acidity (Brazil, Uganda, or a rich espresso blend). It is not recommended to use soft varieties such as Ethiopia and Kenya; the taste of coffee will fade into the background and will practically not be felt.
Next, we will discuss the main types of plant milk.
