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Brewing
Don’t have time to go to a coffee shop or want to learn how to make the perfect flat white at home? With some practice, you can get great results! As long as you’ve got an espresso machine (we’d recommend Sage), milk and some freshly ground coffee, you really can’t go wrong.
So, to help you master the art of a flat white, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you nail the coffee-to-milk ratio and perfect coffee beverages from the comfort of your home. We’ll cover:
A flat white coffee is an espresso-based drink that first originated in Australia and New Zealand. It is made with a double shot of espresso and steamed milk and the milk is textured to create a foam that is smooth and velvety, poured over the espresso shot. This creates a rich and creamy coffee that’s velvety and strong with a bold espresso flavour.
What separates a flat white from a latte is the coffee-to-milk ratio as a flat white is a shorter, stronger, milky coffee. A latte has a layer of steamed milk, topped with a layer of foam sitting above the espresso. A flat white is stronger because there is less steamed milk sitting above the espresso so the layer is thinner or ‘flatter’ than a latte.
A flat white is pretty simple and doesn’t need lots of complex ingredients. What’s more important is the equipment you’ll need and the techniques you’ll use.
The key to a delicious flat white, or any cup of coffee for that matter, is choosing the right coffee beans. It also means choosing good quality coffee beans. We might be biased, but carefully selected and expertly roasted coffee beans, like ours, are definitely the best.
There’s nothing quite like freshly ground coffee beans. When you first grind the beans, they unleash a punchy aroma which is captured in the flavour if you brew your coffee straight away. Of course, our pre-ground coffee does maintain its flavour for around 6 months, but you really can’t beat the awesome smell and taste of freshly ground coffee beans at home.
For the perfect flat white, you’ll need to start by brewing a double espresso as a flat white requires a strong espresso taste. To do this, you’ll need to use an espresso machine to extract the mouthwatering flavour and smooth texture from your coffee.
Pour around 100ml of milk (or milk alternative) into a milk jug and insert the steam wand so it sits about half a centimetre below the surface. Turn the jug slightly to the side so the steamer can create a whirlpool in the milk and you get the silky microfoam texture you’re looking for.
Turn the steam up to full power and when the milk begins to rise and there is around 1-2cm of milk foam, submerge the wand in the milk jug so you don’t create any more foam. Once the milk jug feels hot to the touch, turn off the steam and remove the wand.
Take your cup of freshly brewed espresso and the jug of steamed milk. Give the jug a good tap on the counter to release any larger air bubbles and gently swirl it around in the jug to create the silky milky texture. Lift your cup and tilt it at an angle, facing towards the milk jug, and slowly pour the milk in so there is a thin stream of milk flowing into your espresso. The aim is to create a uniform colour in the cup as you pour in the milk.
When you’ve filled the cup about ⅔ of the way, bring the cup up closer towards the jug and begin pouring the milk in faster to the centre of the cup. This will cause the milk to form a white circle in the centre of the cup – keep pouring the milk into this spot until the cup is almost full. If you are a latte art fan, now is your time to shine with your best artistry!
Making a flat white might take a bit of practice at first, but with just two ingredients and a few pieces of equipment, it really is quite simple. All you need to do is follow our simple steps and practice, practice, practice and you’ll be a master of the flat white in no time! Of course, to get the best flat white, you need the best coffee beans so head to our coffee bean store and order yours now.
