The hot milk should have separated: foam on top, liquid on the bottom. Set aside.Įxtract a short single or double espresso. It is a simple way to thin an espresso or to make a stronger cappuccino than what we are used to.įroth a little milk like you would for a cappuccino.

The macchiato is good for people who want a drink that is somewhere between a cappuccino and an espresso. The macchiato can be a single or a double, the proportions stay the same, but the quantities of each ingredient are doubled (espresso, hot milk, and foam). This is then topped with milk foam and that’s it. This is a good summary of the macchiato recipe, because we only add a small amount of milk to a short expresso. As previously mentioned, ‘macchiato’ means ‘spotted’ in Italian. When it comes to studying the origins of this beverage, you could say they thought of everything!įor Italian speakers, you can practically make a macchiato based on the translation of the word. Rightfully, according to the recipe, the macchiato is an espresso with a spot of milk (topped with foam). In addition, the name macchiato doesn’t just come from anywhere. In that sense, they decreased the amount of milk and coffee needed, and thus the macchiato was born.

When playing with the ratios in the recipe, they invented a cappuccino alternative that could be ordered at any time of the day. In Italy, it is frowned upon, even insulting, to order one after 11 am. To understand the origins of the macchiato, it is important to know that the cappuccino is a coffee that is only served in the morning. In fact, the macchiato normally comes in a smaller size and is very similar to a cappuccino. Too often, it is mistakenly considered to be a large sugary coffee, but in reality, it is far from being a coffee that could almost be considered a dessert. Macchiatos are made with one short espresso dose (single or double), a splash of hot milk and a thin layer of foam.Įven though the macchiato is a classic among coffee-lovers, it is sometimes misunderstood because of commercial coffee chains not serving it using the original recipe.

Macchiato cafe