The Complete Guide to Italian Milk-Based Coffee

As far as the eye can see, thinly wrought iron chairs and tables occupy the piazza in which you are standing, waiters nimbly weaving through the crowds of midday diners. One by one, each table is supplied with its coffee order, the sudden aroma of rich, black espresso catching in the air of a light afternoon breeze.

Being the birthplace of espresso, Italy in many ways has the right to lay claim to what exactly constitutes a “proper coffee”; that is, at least on the European continent. And, although subject to slight misconception, Italians have been adding milk to their espresso since the 17th century, when the stimulating effects of coffee were required but without the bitter taste. Today, this has given rise to a whole new range of coffees, the most notable of these being the cappuccino, caffè macchiato, and caffè latte. 

The range of caffeinated milk-based drinks now at our disposal is without doubt, extensive, and it can understandably be confusing to differentiate between each of their nuances. To help you out, we’ve put together a handy guide, covering the 3 most common types of milk-based coffees you’re likely to encounter on your Italian travels, as well as everything you need to know in order to make them at home.

Cappuccino

When coffee was first brought back from the Levant, it was brewed using a rather simple method which became known as the ‘Ottoman’ style. This consisted of boiling coffee in water, often with the addition of sugar to make it more palatable. By the late 1700s, certain European mainstays began to filter their coffee in order to extract a much smoother and slightly richer flavour from the beans. It was the addition of both sugar and cream in Viennese coffee houses that gave rise to the now-ubiquitous cappuccino. Linguistically, the origin of this coffee has fascinating roots: capuchin meaning ‘to hood’ or ‘cloak’, is a nod to the monks of Vienna who wore brown robes, similar in colour to that of a cappuccino.

A cappuccino is constructed of three distinct parts: espresso, steamed milk and milk foam. Careful attention is needed from the maker when brewing this coffee in order to achieve its characteristically luxurious layer of foam on top.

How to Make a Cappuccino

1. Prepare the espresso.
2. Stretch your cold milk with a milk steamer or mini electric whisk. Stretching is the term given to continuously adding air to the milk until it is lukewarm.
3. Turn the steamer off when the milk jug feels hot to the touch, or at about 70 degrees Celcius.
4. Rotate the jug to prevent the milk and foam from separating.
5. Pour from a low height onto the espresso, ensuring that the foam sits nicely on top of the espresso.

Caffè Macchiato

Macchiato literally translates to ‘spotted’ in Italian. To the southwest, this beverage is often referred to as café pingado in Portugal, meaning ‘dripped coffee’. Regardless of semantics, the principle of the macchiato remains the same, being a coffee with a splash of milk on top. As this drink gained popularity among Italians, they began referring to it as ‘spotted’ in order to verbally mark its visual appearance.

A macchiato is a double shot of espresso with a dollop of steamed milk placed on the surface. Some Italians may put a little foam on top, but this tends to be in minimal amounts in order to showcase the truly deep flavour of the espresso.

How to Make a Caffè Macchiato

1. Brew a single shot of espresso.
2. Stretch your cold milk with a milk steamer or mini electric whisk. Stretching is the term given to continuously adding air to the milk until it is lukewarm.
3. Turn the steamer off when the milk jug feels hot to the touch, or at about 70 degrees Celcius.
4. Tap the jug on a hard surface and swirl to remove any large air bubbles and smoothen the milk.
5. Spoon one or two dollops of foamy milk directly on top of your espresso.

Caffè Latte

Caffè latte should not be conflated with the aforementioned caffè macchiato, which is, inversely, a glassful of hot, frothed milk over which espresso is poured. A latte consists of the same three parts as a cappuccino, but the ratio of these ingredients is what differentiates this drink from its coffee counterparts. The majority of a latte is made up of steamed milk, and so it is essentially a smooth, foamless cappuccino. When made at home this beverage tastes even more intensely caffeinated than one served at an Italian bar. 

How to Make a Caffè Latte

1. Brew an espresso using a stovetop espresso maker.
2. Heat 250ml of cold milk on the stovetop over a high heat for about 30 seconds.
3. Pour the milk into a large mug, followed by the espresso.

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