Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Perhaps, by the number of fans, only tea can be compared with him. The history of acquaintance of people with grains of arabica and robusta dates back more than a thousand years, and it is natural that for such a long time hundreds of different ways of making coffee were invented .
Today, the classic and most famous recipes include espresso, cappuccino and latte. However, lovers of drinking coffee with milk are probably familiar with a variety called "flat white." So they call it a similar to traditional, but in its own way original recipe. Flat white coffee, also known as “Australian”, tastes like a cross between espresso and cappuccino.
Drink history
This recipe was invented relatively recently, in the 80s of the XX century. The authorship of Flat White coffee is often attributed to New Zealand barista Derek Townsend. It was he who came up with the version in which, thanks to the addition of frothed milk, the bitterness of espresso does not disappear completely, but becomes much milder. At the same time, the drink is still stronger than a classic cappuccino.
The Australian recipe is the result of a long and careful selection of the ideal ratio of espresso and milk. Perhaps this is why flat white immediately came to the taste of coffee lovers and soon gained popularity in the author’s homeland, and then around the world. Today, a drink prepared according to this recipe is present on the menu of many institutions.
As for the name, it is most often explained by cooking technologies. The milk, whipped into an elastic foam, forms a flat surface, so that the recipe became known as “flat white”, that is, “flat white”.
Composition
Of great importance for the taste characteristics of the drink is the quality of the beans from which flat white (coffee) is prepared. The composition of the mixture should ideally contain several varieties of arabica. It is this type that combines rich aroma and mild taste, while robusta grains are more pronounced bitterness and sourness. It is desirable that the mixture has an average degree of roasting and fine grinding.
In coffee houses, they often experiment with the recipe, increasing either the espresso content or the amount of milk. But there is also the most popular ratio of ingredients. Flat white - coffee, which is most often prepared on the basis of one serving of doppio (double espresso with a standard volume of 60 ml) and 120 ml of frothed milk.
Differences between flat white and latte and cappuccino
It might seem that flat white is not much different from the well-known cappuccino and latte. Moreover, the latter is often served in establishments under the guise of “Australian” coffee. These drinks are really similar, mainly due to the presence of milk foam in the recipe, but latte has a lower strength. In addition, their appearance and method of delivery are different.
Flat white - coffee, which is traditionally prepared in a thick-walled porcelain cup. This allows you not to confuse it with a latte, which is usually served in a glass of Irish. Flat white is also distinguished by the presence of snow-white foam, while in the same cappuccino the surface most often has a light brown tint. There is another characteristic feature - the volume of whipped milk. The foam layer in flat white coffee is much thinner than in latte, its height is not more than a centimeter.
Cooking features
Experienced barista willingly share the secrets of a perfect flat white (coffee). The recipe for its preparation is quite simple. The main thing is the excellent quality of the ingredients used, their correct ratio and the observance of several subtleties in the process.
First of all, attention should be paid to the properties of milk foam. It should be sufficiently dense, finely porous, elastic, with a smooth and glossy surface. To obtain a foam with such a consistency, it is recommended to whip milk at a temperature of 65-70 ° C, but do not boil it. This is a very important condition, because in order for the taste of the drink to be fully revealed, it should not be too hot when serving.
The quality of the resulting coffee perfectly characterizes the professional skills of the barista. It takes a lot of experience to get a perfectly dense and velvety foam, and before serving, decorate it with skillful latte art.
Recipe
You can enjoy a perfectly balanced taste of the drink in any good coffee shop. However, if you have special equipment at home, this recipe can be mastered independently. To prepare flat white you will need:
- a blend of several varieties of arabica finely ground;
- purified water;
- milk with medium fat content.
The basis of the drink can be made not only in a special machine, but also in a coffee maker with an espresso mode. For one serving of flat white you will need 2 tablespoons of the mixture. After doppio is ready, it must be poured into a porcelain mug with thick walls.
Then you need 120 ml of milk, warmed up to about 70 ° C. It must be whipped so that a thick foam forms from half the volume. Then milk must be carefully combined with doppio. Coffee flat white is ready.
Experienced barista often advise their clients to try this recipe. This is because it is better than others to evaluate the rich aroma of freshly fried arabica in combination with delicate milk foam. Flat white is sure to appeal to those who prefer strong enough coffee, because it is the pronounced bitterness of espresso, only slightly tinted with a creamy taste, that is the main feature of this drink.