With the Flat White, Specialty Coffee emancipated itself from Italian coffee culture. Invented in Australia or New Zealand, this espresso drink with fine-pored milk foam first conquered the Specialty Coffee scene and then the entire world. In this article, we'll show you our Flat White recipe and how it differs from other espressos with milk foam.
Quick Overview
- The Flat White originates from Australia or New Zealand and is considered one of the defining drinks of the Specialty Coffee movement.
- Characteristic features include a double espresso, fine-pored milk foam, and a relatively small cup.
- Unlike a cappuccino and latte, the espresso flavor is clearly at the forefront in a Flat White.
- With the right technique for espresso, stretching, and swirling, you can make a Flat White at home.
Table of Contents
- Flat White: The Basics
- What is a Flat White?
- How to Make a Flat White?
- Flat White in Comparison
- Conclusion
Flat White: The Basics
The Flat White is one of the few coffee drinks that is popular here but was not invented in Europe. However, Australians and New Zealanders still argue about where the Flat White actually came from. Evidence dates back to the 1980s and can be found in old newspaper articles, photos, and anecdotes. But coffee historians, they really exist, are not satisfied with the supposed evidence. In the noughties, expats from Down Under shaped the early phase of Specialty Coffee in the big cities of the world. Their influence is still visible today in the menus of Specialty Coffee shops. What is Specialty Coffee?
What is a Flat White?
A Flat White is an espresso-based coffee drink with finely frothed milk, served in relatively small cups. It is characterized by a double shot of espresso and a very thin layer of foam. The milk is incorporated in such a way that it fully combines with the espresso. The result is a creamy, intense Flat White coffee with a clearly discernible espresso flavor, because the espresso content in the total volume of the drink is higher than in many other espresso drinks with milk.
How to Make a Flat White?
To prepare a Flat White, you need an espresso machine. Ideally, this is a portafilter machine, but you can also make a Flat White with a fully automatic coffee machine. Depending on the espresso machine or portafilter, you will need 15 to 21 grams of coffee. We like the Flat White best with 18 g.
For the milk foam, you need about 100 to 120 ml of fresh whole milk. Learn why fresh whole milk is the best milk for frothing. To make the milk foam successful, you also need the steam wand of your espresso machine or another milk frother. The milk pitcher is the vessel in which you froth the milk and pour the milk foam into the cup.
Your cup should have a capacity of about 150 to 180 ml. Flatter cups with a larger diameter have the advantage of giving you more space for latte art.
Flat White Recipe
- Prepare a double espresso. Depending on the coffee beans and roast level, we recommend a brew ratio between 1:2 for darker roasts and 1:2.5 for lighter roasts. With an input of 18 g, you will get between 36 and 45 ml in the Flat White cup.
- Froth the milk: Since the volume of milk increases when frothed, you only need about 100 to 120 ml of fresh whole milk. However, with most milk pitchers, frothing works best if you fill it about one-third full. Pay attention to a short stretching phase. In the rolling phase, you create fine-pored milk foam by inserting the steam wand a little deeper into the pitcher, thus breaking up the air bubbles.
- Between 60 and 65 °C, the milk foam reaches its ideal temperature. This is approximately the moment when the pitcher becomes uncomfortably hot to the touch. Tap the milk pitcher once or twice on the counter or tabletop to destroy larger air bubbles. Swirl the milk foam in the pitcher twice. Now the milk foam is ready for the Flat White cup.
- The Flat White also tastes good without beautiful latte art. But as they say, the eyes eat first. So use every Flat White to improve your latte art skills.
Flat White in Comparison
How does a Flat White differ from a Cortado and other milk coffee drinks? The following table summarizes the results.
| Characteristic | Flat White | Cappuccino | Cortado | Latte Macchiato |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Shots | Double Shot | Single Espresso | Double Shot | Single Espresso |
| Espresso Volume | approx. 36–45 ml | approx. 18–25 ml | approx. 36–45 ml | approx. 18–25 ml |
| Milk Volume | approx. 120–150 ml | approx. 130–160 ml | approx. 36–45 ml | approx. 200–250 ml |
| Espresso : Milk Ratio | approx. 1 : 3 | approx. 1 : 6 | approx. 1 : 1 | approx. 1 : 8 |
| Milk Type | hot milk, very fine microfoam | hot milk with distinct milk foam layer | hot milk, little to no foam | hot milk with milk foam |
| Caffeine Content | approx. 120–160 mg | approx. 60–80 mg | approx. 120–160 mg | approx. 60–80 mg |
| Serving Size | approx. 150–180 ml | approx. 150–180 ml | approx. 72–90 ml | tall glass |
| Preparation Logic | Double espresso, then finely structured milk | Single espresso, hot milk, foam on top | Espresso and milk mixed directly | Milk first, espresso after |
| Taste | strong, velvety, not very airy | balanced, creamy, coffee-forward | strong, round, not very milky | very milky, mild |
| Origin / Influence | Australia / New Zealand | Italy | Spain | Italy |
| Learn More | – | Understand Cappuccino | Cortado explained | Latte Macchiato article |
What is the difference between Flat White and Cappuccino?
The most important difference between Flat White vs Cappuccino lies in the amount of espresso. Almost all baristas and coffee experts agree on this. While the traditional cappuccino is prepared with a single espresso shot, the Flat White is always based on a doppio espresso.
There are other features you can use to distinguish the Flat White from the Cappuccino. Whether these are actually distinguishing features depends on how you interpret the Cappuccino. Here are the commonly mentioned features:
- The milk texture: It is argued that the cappuccino has a clearly recognizable foam crown with more volume compared to the Flat White, whereas the milk in the Flat White is integrated flatly. In fact, the Flat White is often seen as the Australian or New Zealand answer to the fluffy foam. After all, people Down Under didn't want to pay for air. However, the cappuccino is now also prepared with flat foam again. The foam crowns came with fully automatic coffee machines in the 1990s. And they are being replaced by the latte art trend.
→ Find out in our overview which milk foams best. - The cup size: Some Specialty Coffee shops serve their Flat White drinks in slightly smaller cups than their cappuccinos. This further emphasizes the coffee flavor, as even less milk foam fits into the smaller cup with a double espresso than usual. In any case, it pleases manufacturers of trendy coffee cups, who can add another size to their sets.
- The culture: Italians have enriched our culinary world with many things. We think of pizza, the various forms of their pasta, and last but not least, espresso and cappuccino. But just as you would never eat a Hawaiian pizza in front of an Italian, coffee culture also comes with an instruction manual. Read here when Italians drink their cappuccino. We are freer, indeed completely unburdened, with the Flat White. We can enjoy it anytime. So: "Don't worry, mate!"
→ Learn how to make a cappuccino.
Flat White vs Latte
How does the Flat White differ from the Latte Macchiato or Latte, as English-speaking tourists like to call it?
The two milk coffee drinks differ in the amount of espresso and milk foam, as well as in the serving size:
- Order: For a Flat White, the espresso goes into the cup first, then the milk foam. For a Latte Macchiato, the espresso is brewed into the milk foam.
- Espresso amount: The Flat White is prepared with a double espresso. The Latte in its classic form, however, with a single espresso shot.
- Cup size: The Flat White is served in relatively small cups, which usually have a capacity of 150 to 180 ml. The Latte Macchiato is served in significantly larger vessels. These are usually glasses with a capacity of at least 200 ml.
- Milk foam amount: The Flat White is served with comparatively little milk foam. In smaller cups, the double espresso takes up more space, leaving significantly less room for the milk foam.
→ Learn more about the Latte Macchiato in our detailed article.
Conclusion
The Flat White is the espresso with milk drink of recent years. It started in Specialty Coffee and is here to stay. The Flat White fulfills the desire for more, even stronger espresso. On the other hand, it is loved and appreciated for its latte art. And with a little practice, you too can make a Flat White with beautiful latte art.
