Flat White

The ingredients of the flat white and the cappuccino are identical. Both consist of coffee and milk. The type of preparation is what sets them apart. While the cappuccino is prepared with an espresso and milk, the traditional flat white is based on a double ristretto. The ristretto is a short espresso that is brewed with the same amount of coffee, but with less water. This creates the intense flavor experience of the flat white.

A flat white can be prepared with an espresso machine with a milk frothing nozzle or a fully automatic coffee maker. First a double ristretto is poured. If you prefer your coffee not to be that strong, you can use a double espresso or a single ristretto.

Now comes the milk froth, which is infused with less air. This way the consistency remains rather liquidy and the pores of the foam are very fine. It is also called a micro-froth. By the way, the same micro-froth is used with the cappuccino: It is the second of three layers and is topped by airy cappuccino. The flat white only has two layers. It is missing the stiff froth crown of the cappuccino.

A cappuccino and flat white differ not only in how they are prepared, but also in their history of origin. You could claim that the flat white arose from a failed cappuccino. While everyone knows the cappuccino comes from bella Italia, the flat white comes from down under. Following the second world war, Italians emigrated to Australia and longed for their home coffee culture there.

The British, who also lived in Australia, however were not well versed in the art of preparing coffee. They prepared the cappuccino quickly like tea with milk. You can imagine that the Italians were initially not too pleased with this coffee creation. Over time, however, the flat white was continuously refined. Today, Australians are proud of their drink, which is becoming increasingly popular around the world.