The Flat White
Are you ready to make a mini latte? Because that’s pretty much what a flat white is!
Time Needed: 4 minutes
Necessary Supplies
Necessary Tools
Flat White Steps
Start with a Double Shot
The foundation of this drink is a good double shot of espresso — between 40-60ml or around 50g of espresso brewed — to build your flat white upon. Brew it directly into a cappuccino sized cup. This one is 225ml to the rim.
Steam the Milk
Next, steam your milk without any foam stretching — just sink the steam wand deep into the milk right at the start of your steaming session — and steam it until the milk’s temperature is around 60C (145F). Next up is the pour.
Restrict the Foam
While pouring your steamed milk, restrict the amount of foam by using a spoon to block it during the pour. Fill the drink up to near the rim.
Completed Drink
The completed drink should only have a few millimeters of visible foam on top. At this point, the drink is ready to serve.
Flat WhiteBackground
So, asking again: what is the flat white? Is it just a latte with another name?
Not so, says Frank Issit, a long time Adelaide, Australia barista. “Australia’s had a long time espresso culture; we never really got into drip coffee or pour over, espresso’s always been our way.” Isitt says. “We needed a way to soften the espresso for some folk, and where Americans had the Starbucks-pushed latte beverage, our milky espresso drink, besides the cappa (ccino) was the flat white. I suppose the biggest difference is the balance and drink size. We were never into the 500ml coffee drinks; we do just fine at the 150-250ml range, and that’s where the flat white slotted in.”
Isitt went on to stress the flat white is a drink of balance and texture, unlike the typical latte. “Where you see an indeterminate amount of steamed, thickened milk added to espresso in a latte (ed note: anywhere from 4oz to 8oz or more per espresso shot), the flat white always stays in the 3-4:1 ratio of steamed milk to espresso, and it’s almost always served in a cappuccino cup, which usually maxes out at 240ml in size.”
So the flat white is essentially a balanced, controlled latte served in a 180-240ml serving featuring 40-60ml of espresso, and 140-180ml of steam milk. A tiny bit of foam making it into the cup is fine as well, but never more than a few millimeters worth on top. If you want a 500ml version of the drink, it better have 150-175ml worth of espresso in it, to be considered a flat white.
In North America, the drink is taking off these days because the balance between milk and espresso allows for more nuance and the ability to still “taste” the espresso and what it has to offer. And for some folks, having 4 ounces of steamed milk settles in their stomach better than having 12 or 16 ounces of steamed milk.
“Espresso in the AM, and flat whites for me in the PM,” says Heidi Scheer, a regular at Victoria, BC’s Hey Happy Cafe. “I love the taste and texture of steamed milk, but can only handle so much. I also love espresso and coffee but have to regulate how much I have in the afternoons and evenings, so the flat white is a perfect marriage for me. I taste the espresso (this place makes) but also get the comfort of the steamed milk in a manageable size.”
That’s the background on the flat white: a drink that slots in between the traditional cappuccino, and the latte.
And one last tip: if you order a cortado, or a gibraltar, or a flat white, you’re most likely going to get the same drink.
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