Latte Macchiato Recipe

Before you start

A latte macchiato turns a latte inside out. Instead of milk added to espresso, the milk goes into the glass first and the espresso is poured in last, so it marks the milk. Because hot coffee is lighter than the steamed milk beneath it and heavier than the foam above it, it settles into a middle band, giving three layers: white milk, tan coffee, white foam.

The layers depend on density and patience. Use whole milk, steam it with a generous foam cap, and let the glass rest for about 30 seconds so the foam separates. Then pour the espresso in a slow, thin stream through the foam. Expect a milder, milk-forward drink; it is meant to be sipped gradually as the layers blend.

Ingredients

• 240 ml (8 oz) cold whole milk
• 18 g espresso coffee beans — ground fine for one double shot
• about 36 g (1¼ oz) water, as brewed espresso — a 1:2 double shot
• 1 to 2 tsp simple syrup or vanilla syrup — optional, stirred into the milk before steaming or added to the glass first

Method

1. Rinse the tall glass with hot water to warm it so the milk does not cool too fast and the layers stay crisp.
2. Steam the milk, letting in air a little longer than for a latte so the foam is about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick. Stop at 60 to 65°C (140 to 150°F), when the pitcher is hot to hold but not painful.
3. If using syrup, put it in the bottom of the glass. Pour the steamed milk in, holding back the foam with a spoon at first, then let the foam slide on top.
4. Let the glass stand for 30 seconds. You will see the foam settle into a clear white cap above the liquid milk.
5. Meanwhile pull a double shot of about 36 g into a small pitcher or shot glass, in 25 to 30 seconds.
6. Pour the espresso very slowly in a thin stream into the center of the foam, from about 5 cm (2 inches) above. It should sink through the foam and pool as a brown band above the milk.
7. Serve with a long spoon and a napkin under the glass; stir only if you prefer an even mix.

Tips for success

• Pour the espresso from a small spouted cup rather than straight from the portafilter. You can control the stream, and a gentle pour is what keeps the bands separate.
• Syrup in the bottom adds density and makes the lower milk layer even more stable, which is useful if you are struggling to get a clean line.
• Skim or low-fat milk can make a tall foam, but the liquid layer is thin and the bands blur. Whole milk gives the best contrast.

Substitutions

Whole milk

Barista oat or soy milk can layer, but the foam is less dense and the coffee band is often softer. Sweetened milks layer more easily than unsweetened ones.

Double shot

A single shot of about 25 g gives a paler, gentler drink with a thinner middle stripe. For more coffee flavor, use a ristretto double so the coffee is concentrated.

Espresso machine

A handheld frother and microwave-warmed milk can make the foam, and strong moka-pot coffee can replace espresso, though the layers will be less defined.

Variations

Iced latte macchiato

Fill a glass with ice and cold milk sweetened with syrup, then pour chilled espresso slowly over the back of a spoon to form the layer.

Hazelnut latte macchiato

Put 10 ml hazelnut syrup in the bottom of the glass before the milk; the sweet base sharpens the layering.

Troubleshooting

The coffee mixed straight into the milk

It was poured too fast or from too high. Use a small pitcher, a thin stream and a pour aimed at the center of the foam.

There is no foam layer, just milk and coffee

The milk was not aerated enough. Keep the steam tip near the surface a few seconds longer, until the volume grows by about a third.

The drink tastes weak

The ratio is close to 1:7 coffee to milk, which is mild by design. Use a ristretto double shot or cut the milk to 180 ml.

Storage

Drink it right after building; the layers merge and the foam deflates within about 10 minutes. Do not keep steamed milk at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and do not reheat it for a second drink.