Gone are the days when you simply ordered a cup of coffee at a cafe. Since the 2000s at the latest, the "third wave of coffee" has led to a special awareness of high-quality coffee and a wide variety of coffee drinks. Coffee is more than just a product. It's a luxury item, something that makes life more beautiful, something to take time for and to think about.
For this reason, most cafes now offer a wide variety of coffee creations. In addition to well-known classics like cappuccino or latte macchiato, you increasingly see the "Flat White" today. But what is this drink all about? We're going on a quest to discover the origin of the Flat White, explain the differences between it and other coffee specialties, and give you tips on how to make a Flat White at home. Let's go!
The Origin of the Flat White
Who made the first pizza? Who first came up with the idea of deep-frying potatoes in sticks as "fries", and where was beer brewing actually invented? As is often the case, the exact origin of the Flat White cannot be precisely determined. The search for clues definitely leads us to the period after the Second World War.
Many Europeans emigrated to Australia and New Zealand after the war. This led to a mixing of food and gastronomy cultures "Down Under". Of course, each culture brought its beloved food and drink customs to its new home. The British brought their beloved tea to the new continent, and later the Italians brought their coffee. It wasn't long before a thriving coffee culture developed in big cities like Sydney, and a professional espresso machine and freshly roasted beans became the norm.
Some say it was because the British immigrants poured milk into their morning coffee, just as they did with their tea. Others see the poorly foaming Australian milk in some Australian cafes as the reason. According to one story, a barista is said to have served a customer who ordered a cappuccino a drink with too little foam and said, "I'm sorry, it's a Flat White." Whether this story is true, and whether it took place in New Zealand or Australia, is not certain.
What is certain is that the Flat White is a variation or further development of the cappuccino. Due to its creamier consistency, the foam does not dome over the cup, as with the original cappuccino, but rather finishes flat with the rim of the cup.
The Flat White made its way from Australia to Europe and began its triumphant march there from the 2000s onwards. New pouring techniques, Latte Art, and the establishment of trained baristas made the Flat White a masterful discipline and a popular drink. Today, it is an indispensable part of both small local cafes and large coffee chains.
Ingredients for the perfect Flat White
There are certainly many different methods for making a Flat White. We'll explain how we interpret the Flat White in our Kaffeemacher:innen cafes.
Our Flat White consists of a double espresso shot and 120g of milk, organic milk from a regional organic farmer with about 3.5% fat. We use cups that hold 160ml. This way, we can fill the Flat White exactly "flat" to the rim of the cup.
For comparison: For our cappuccino, we use a single espresso shot in the same cups. So here it's more like 140g of milk.
This shows perhaps the biggest difference between a Flat White and a cappuccino. The Flat White has significantly more espresso in relation to the milk. You can taste the espresso much more clearly than in a cappuccino.
For our Flat White, we use the rotating beans from our fruity, purple series. For example, our Suke Quto from Ethiopia. The floral and fruity notes, reminiscent of stone fruits or melons, are not too overpowering in the Flat White, but rather develop into a fresh, creamy cup with the smaller amount of milk.
Alternatively, our APAS Organic Espresso is also very well suited for Flat White preparation.
Preparation
Espresso preparation is the same as for other espresso-based drinks. Use freshly ground coffee beans from a good roastery. We use a brewing recipe of 1 to 2.3 or 2.5. This means, for example, 17g of espresso powder result in 40 to 42g of espresso in the cup.
The grind should be set with a proper double filter basket (please do not use a double-walled basket!) so that the espresso extracts in 25-30 seconds. The extraction time for fruitier roasts can be a little longer, it depends somewhat on your individual taste. If the espresso extracts too quickly, it is underextracted and too sour. Then you need to adjust the grinder finer. If it extracts too slowly, it will be overextracted and taste bitter. Then you adjust the grinder a little coarser. Of course, the brewing temperature is also important, which is why you should flush the machine once before extracting the espresso and let it heat up long enough. If you need more tips for the perfect espresso, then watch our video with 20 mistakes when preparing espresso!
A well-prepared espresso is only half the battle when it comes to a Flat White. The consistency of the milk foam is also crucial.
Fill your pitcher halfway with cold milk. Purge the steam wand once to prevent condensed water from blowing into the milk. In the first "stretching phase", you draw air bubbles into the milk. For this, the tip of the steam wand is close to the milk surface. As soon as the milk in the pitcher has increased in volume, you switch to the "rolling phase". In this phase, you immerse the steam wand a little deeper and try to create a rolling motion in the pitcher. The large bubbles from the "stretching phase" are destroyed, and the air is homogeneously incorporated into the milk. When your hands almost burn on the milk pitcher (approx. 65° C), the milk is hot enough. After that, the steam wand is, of course, purged and cleaned immediately!
The texture of your milk foam should be creamy. Like melted vanilla ice cream or cream that hasn't been whipped firmly enough.
By the way, we also use this milk foam consistency for cappuccinos. We don't want to serve a milk foam crown made of firm, construction foam-like milk foam that domes far over the cup.
To achieve the right amount of milk and espresso, a scale is helpful. For a better workflow, it's worth using cups of the appropriate size. This saves you from having to weigh later.
Common Flat White Mistakes
As described above, the ratio between espresso and milk in a Flat White leans towards the espresso side. Therefore, mistakes in espresso preparation become noticeable very quickly. If the espresso is underextracted, the whole drink will taste very sour. If it's overextracted, your Flat White will be much too bitter. That's why you should take your time to adjust the espresso really precisely.
While it is important for a cappuccino that the espresso flavor asserts itself against the large amount of milk and is not lost, the espresso in a Flat White should not be too overpowering. We recommend using a lighter, fruitier roast. Look for beans from Ethiopia, preferably washed beans. These fruitier blends integrate more harmoniously into the drink and make the Flat White less intense and heavy.
Of course, the consistency of the milk foam is also important. Make sure not to draw too much air into the milk, but to foam it nicely and creamy.
Making a Flat White at Home
Since the espresso in a Flat White is very distinctly tasted, you should pay particular attention to the preparation of your espresso at home as well.
You'll need a reliable portafilter machine that you're familiar with. You should know how long it needs to heat up and whether you should flush it once or twice before the first shot.
You also need a good grinder that grinds fine enough for espresso and can be precisely adjusted. Extraction time is crucial, and this can only be adjusted by the grind size.
A precise scale is indispensable. You can weigh the beans, accurately set the brewing recipe, and also weigh the amount of milk foam you add. This way, you get delicious results that you can replicate. With time and the right cups, you can skip weighing, but a precise scale is a must when setting up recipes!
Conclusion
Whether you have to follow every coffee trend remains to be seen. Not everyone will be a fan of syrup, matcha, chai, and the like. But you should definitely try a Flat White at least once. The creamy milk foam creates a full and flattering mouthfeel. Additionally, due to the high espresso content, you can better taste the fine nuances of the espresso. So it's no wonder that this "trendy drink" has now become a firm part of coffee culture.
Additionally, you can practice your Latte Art skills at home with a Flat White. If you need more tips for that, watch our video on Latte Art, or visit one of our Latte Art courses!
