How to prepare Flat White coffee: recipe, differences from cappuccino and latte

Flat White is a rather strong coffee-milk drink based on double espresso with a minimum of milk foam. It is the coffee flavor and its shades that plays the first violin. That is, Flat White is ideal for those who want to feel more coffee than milk in a coffee-milk drink, for whom the usual cappuccino (which balances on the edge of the two elements) seems too “soft” and inexpressive. Flat was invented by New Zealand barista Derek Townsend in the 1980s.

I have already told you the difference between cappuccino and latte and latte macchiato (unlike mocha which contains chocolate), Flat White is a logical continuation of this line, and consists of exactly the same components – espresso, milk, milk foam. The only difference is in the proportions.

Flat White is usually prepared in the standard latte volume of 200-240 ml, served in a glass cup, but, of course, no one forbids to use ceramic cups (by the way, here is my article about coffee cups). The main thing is that the base is not a single espresso, as for a latte, but a double espresso of the highest possible strength for your equipment.

In this case, the milk foam is even less than in a latte – the very minimum, literally to cover the milk with a thin layer. But in general, you can froth milk at home in the same way as for a latte for ease of implementation. There are no other differences between a flat and a cappuccino or latte.

Bottom line, how to make Flat White at home, for example, on a coffee machine: make a latte, but on double espresso.

How to Brew Flat White at Home?

Equipment You’ll Need

• Espresso machine with a steam wand
• Fresh coffee beans
• Burr grinder
• Milk pitcher (12-16 oz / 350-470 ml)
• 5-6 oz cup / 150-180 ml)
• Digital scale (optional but recommended)
• Milk thermometer (optional)

Ingredients

• 18-21 grams of freshly ground coffee beans
• Fresh whole milk (3.5-4% fat content)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare Your Espresso
   • Grind your coffee beans fresh (fine espresso grind)
   • Pull a double shot of espresso (about 2 oz / 60ml)
   • Aim for 25-30 seconds extraction time
   • Your espresso should have a rich crema on top
2. Prepare Your Milk
   • Fill your pitcher with cold milk about 1/3 full
   • Purge the steam wand
   • Position the wand just below the milk surface
   • Create a gentle whirlpool effect
   • Steam until the milk reaches 140-150°F (60-65°C)
   • The milk should be silky and glossy with minimal foam
3. The Crucial Technique
   • Unlike a cappuccino, you want microfoam, not thick foam
   • The milk should have a paint-like consistency
   • If you tap the pitcher on the counter, there should be no visible bubbles
4. Combining Espresso and Milk
   • Pour your espresso into a 5-6 oz cup / 150-180 ml
   • Start pouring the milk from about an inch above the cup
   • The milk should sink beneath the crema
   • Finish with a smooth, velvety microfoam on top

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using old or stale coffee beans
• Creating too much foam
• Overheating the milk
• Using a cup that’s too large
• Not maintaining proper espresso extraction time

Tips for Perfect Results

• Always use fresh, whole milk for best texture
• Keep your espresso machine clean and well-maintained
• Practice your milk steaming technique regularly
• The final drink should be about 5-6 oz / 150-180 ml total
• The ideal serving temperature is 145-150°F (63-65°C)

Remember, a perfect flat white should have a strong coffee flavor balanced with silky smooth milk, and a thin layer of velvety microfoam on top. The key is in achieving that perfect milk texture – it should be smooth and glossy, not thick and foamy like a cappuccino.

Composition and Proportions of Flat White

What sets cappuccino, latte, and flat white apart is how much milk they contain and their foam consistency. The flat white stands out with its bolder coffee notes from using two shots of espresso.

These measurements and ratios aren’t set in stone – skilled baristas often develop their own unique recipes that may deviate considerably from traditional standards. Some American baristas prefer fat-free milk, while others opt for rich 11% cream, and there’s also the half’n’half alternative that combines both cream and milk.

The nuances of making Flat White on a home carob coffee maker and in an automatic coffee machine

Home Horn Coffee Makers

If you have a carob coffee maker, the only nuance is how to make double espresso of the necessary grams (by the way, barista scales will help you to keep the grams), because home carobs rarely allow you to “stuff” more than 15-16 grams of ground coffee into the basket. Here you have to look for a compromise. If 16 grams are available – that’s fine, spill a little more water and get your 40 grams, it’s not a big deal. Most likely, you will have to play around with grinding and select the beans, but it is always necessary to select them for specific tasks and the desired flavor.

If you only have in the neighborhood of 12 grams in your basket, then aiming for up to 40 grams in a cup is a big loss in flavor. You can make two single espressos one after the other in the same cup. This complicates the process a bit, because the first espresso will already cool down while you brew the second one (on home equipment), and there’s milk on the line, but there’s nothing to do, I don’t know any other way to get a real flat on a 12 gram basket.

On advanced equipment there is no problem, 18 grams is included in most baskets, and coffee houses often use 21-22 gram filters for this purpose.

Home bean machines

What about coffee machines? The situation here is actually about the same as with home carob coffee makers. Automatic machines that can hold at the limit in the brewing unit around 12 grams (or even less) of ground coffee (Philips/Saeco, Krups, Siemens/Bosch on the old, unscrewed ZU, old Melitta/Nivona junior series until 2019/2022 and here all Delonghi without special programs Doppio +/Cappuccino +) can only hope for two consecutive espresso in one cup, after which to move to the milk component. Since the machine brews espresso many times faster than you do with a home carob coffee maker, the final result should be quite workable and drinkable.

Machines with a capacity of up to 16 grams (JURA, the new Melitta/Nivona/Miele, all clones of Chinese Kalerm with screw-type gear, starting with Kaffit and further on) can in principle prepare the coffee base in one sitting. You set the maximum strength and volume of 40 ml and with some tension can be considered that the coffee base for flat white is ready.

With the milk component in the machine section, the nuance is exactly the same as in the case of a proper latte – there should be little foam. For this purpose, the coffee machine must have an adjustment of foaming or height of milk foam. Not all models have such an adjustment, and those that do not, always foam milk at the maximum, and this is not suitable for flat.

That is, after preparing the coffee component, you need to set the foaming to minimum and pour milk to the final target volume, that is, about 200-250 ml. Let me remind you that the actual foaming in autocappuccinators is always highly dependent on the milk used, and can vary slightly from pack to pack – this is normal (by the way, I have some material about milk here).

Bottom line, to make a Flat White on a coffee machine in more or less automatic mode, it must meet the requirements for a latte + make a strong double espresso on the appropriate milk program:

• Have a milk frothing setting.
• Pour coffee into the cup first, then milk.
• Ideally, to avoid having to split the whole process into 3 parts – espresso, another espresso, milk – the machine should either have a solid brewing capacity or be able to make double espresso on the milk program in two separate grinds (sometimes called Extra Shot).

A special note. In the vast majority of coffee machines that have a program called “Flat White” (Flat White) from the factory, when you start this program without additional settings, anything but Flat White is prepared. At a minimum you need to set the correct frothing, and usually correct both the volume of the coffee part and the milk part.

Delonghi coffee machines, for example, in some models (the same very popular ECAM 350.55) on the program “Flat White” from the factory poured about 300 ml of milk, and does it forward espresso. That is, this program is not suitable for making Flat White even after corrections, because the milk must be poured after the coffee. At the same time, the same machine may have some other milk and coffee program with an arbitrary name, such as Cappuccino Mix, which can be set up to produce flat white. On a separate note, some machines may acquire new software with corrected recipes during production. The example above is an abstract example, you just need to understand the essence of the drink and the necessary nuances in preparation.

The Origin of Flat White

The flat white is a coffee drink that has gained immense popularity in recent decades, originating from either New Zealand or Australia. Its story begins in the 1980s when New Zealand barista Derek Townsend experimented with the proportions of coffee and milk. He aimed to create a beverage that combined the rich flavor of espresso with a lighter milk texture compared to traditional lattes and cappuccinos.

According to one version of its origin, the flat white emerged in response to the growing popularity of Americanos with milk in Australian cafes. Baristas began searching for new recipes, leading to the creation of a drink with less foam and milk, allowing the coffee’s flavor to shine through. Unlike cappuccinos, which have a thicker layer of foam, flat whites feature a thin layer of microfoam and a more concentrated coffee profile.

Initially, the flat white gained traction in New Zealand and Australia before spreading globally. Its recognition in Europe surged after the opening of Flat White café in London in 2005, where the drink quickly became popular. Today, flat whites hold a significant place on coffee menus worldwide and are considered one of the leading milk-based beverages alongside cappuccinos and lattes.

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