“A flat white please!” We get an order like this every day at the Wildkaffee Café. The flat white has long been established in new, trendier cafés. Visually, it is clearly similar to the classic cappuccino, but the two milky coffee drinks have significant differences in both taste and preparation.
The origin and development of the Flat White is also very exciting. We want to present everything about this coffee specialty to you in this blog article. By the way, you can find more information about coffee and milk combinations here . But now back to the Flat White!
Flat White - Where does this recipe come from?
Opinions differ as to the origin of this drink. But one thing is certain! Its roots are clearly in Europe . After the Second World War, many Italians and Brits emigrated to Oceania - the general term for the two island states of New Zealand and Australia - and brought the European coffee culture with them Down Under . While the Italians brought their coffee culture based around cappuccino and espresso , the English were the ones who imported their distinctive tea culture. These two cultures mixed and many Italian cafés emerged in the metropolises of the two island states. The Italian espresso machines spread quickly and became established in the big city cafés.
But opinions are still divided on the invention of the flat white. New Zealanders claim that a barista in the 1980s used milk that was too low in fat and protein to make a cappuccino . The result was a milky coffee drink that resembled a cappuccino, but did not have the typical foam. The barista apologized and called the drink a flat white because the milk foam was flat. In theory, the whole story makes sense because British immigrants liked to use their tea-making methods to make coffee. Espressos were poured with a very compact milk foam .
The Australian history goes back to the 1960s. Low-fat milk was also the problem there. This is why Australian cafés only offered “flat white” coffees, as, like in New Zealand, the milk topping was missing due to the less foamy milk.
It is not entirely known who ultimately invented the "flat white", but it is certain that the drink is a variation of the Italian cappuccino and has had a long journey. Because the journey definitely led back to Europe at some point. More on this in the next section.
So he came back to Europe
But now back to coffee with milk. While in the Arab, Turkish and Balkan countries people preferred to drink mocha with sugar , in Europe people were looking for a solution to balance out the bitterness and acidity . Due to the lack of knowledge about coffee at the time, incorrect cultivation and less than ideal roasting, the taste of coffee at that time was nowhere near the level we know it from today.
In the 17th century, when the first cafés opened in Europe, it took a while before the first brave person dared to try mixing coffee with milk . Although dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt were already very popular, the start was a little hesitant. But in the new coffee houses in Paris , coffee with milk finally caught on. People used the milk as a neutralizer and thus the history of milk-based drinks began.
What exactly is a flat white?
Sooo... enough history! I've already described roughly what's in a flat white. Basically, it's a fairly simple milky coffee drink. It consists of a double shot of espresso and lightly foamed milk. That's actually the biggest difference to a cappuccino, which has a much creamier milk foam topping and is topped with a simple espresso shot.
In expert circles, the rather thin milk foam in the drink is referred to as micro-foam . This is actually not that easy to make, because if the milk foam is too foamy, it is no longer a classic flat white. The milk foam should be fine-pored, almost runny. Espresso should be a strong, dark roast . We like to use our Wilderer Espresso or our house espresso . The original recipe is usually made with a double ristretto. We don't take this too seriously and like to use a classic double espresso. The combination creates a strong milky coffee flavor that tastes different to the classic cappuccino.
The "flat white" is the ideal milky coffee drink, especially for fans of strong coffee. It does take a bit of practice to perfect this preparation, but once you've got it down, the flat white is a great change from the classics that are still very popular.
How to prepare it
Now let's finally get to the preparation! This is how we like to prepare the Flat White. It is of course a very subtle variation on the original recipe , but it should be said that tastes and preparation methods differ.
It's never a good idea to stick to one recipe, so we recommend that you play around with the recipe, because that's the only way you can prepare the drink the way you like it!
Flat White Recipe - Wild Coffee Roastery
You will need: 17 – 19 g poacher or house espresso , milk 3.5% or more – Oatly oat milk, a portafilter machine set to 92 degrees, a suitable grinder e.g. Fellow Ode as well as a tamper, stop watch and a scale e.g. the Acaia Pearl !
1. Remove the portafilter and wipe it with a cloth.
2. Pour the ground coffee into the portafilter for a double shot.
3. Distribute the coffee grounds evenly and then compact them using the tamper.
4. Now rinse the brewing group and then insert the portafilter.
5. Place the cup under the spout and start the brewing process. For 40ml, this should take 25-30 seconds.
6. Froth the milk lightly and finely at around 60-70 degrees.
7. Now pour the milk slowly and steadily into the espresso. Ambitious baristas can of course try their hand at creating stylish latte art.
8. The Flat White is ready! Now you can enjoy it
Fancy a flat white?
Are you now keen to have one? Then take a look at our online shop where you will find not only the right accessories for making coffee, but also our matching dark espresso roasts , which are ideal for preparing a flat white.
If you would rather be pampered by a barista, then visit Benny at the Wildkaffee Café in the center of Garmisch.
