Flat White

Ingredients

Coffee

• 18to 20 g freshly ground coffee for a double basket, medium-fine
• a medium roast with chocolate and caramel notes, rested 7 to 21 days after roasting
• filtered water at 92 to 94°C (200°F)

Milk

• 150 mlcold full-cream milk, fridge cold at about 4°C (40°F)
• a cold stainless steel jug, 350 ml, so the milk fills it a third to a half

Equipment

• 1espresso machine with a steam wand
• 1ceramic cup of 150 to 160 ml, preheated
• digital scales and a timer

Directions

1. Grind 18 to 20 g of coffee straight into a dry basket, distribute it level with a finger or a distribution tool, and tamp firmly and squarely so the bed is flat; an uneven bed channels and gives a sour, thin shot.
2. Purge the group head for a second, lock in the portafilter and start the shot immediately, aiming for 36 to 40 g of espresso out in 25 to 30 seconds, a ratio of about 1:2.
3. Watch the stream. It should start dark and syrupy at around 8 seconds and turn honey-coloured; if it blonds early and runs fast, grind finer, and if it drips past 35 seconds, grind coarser.
4. Purge the steam wand, then set the tip just below the surface of the cold milk, off centre, and open the steam full.
5. Stretch the milk for only 3 to 4 seconds, listening for a soft steady tearing sound rather than loud screeching, which introduces the small volume of air a flat white needs: much less than a cappuccino.
6. Sink the tip deeper to close the surface and let the milk spin in a smooth whirlpool for 15 to 20 seconds, until the jug is too hot to hold comfortably at about 60 to 65°C (150°F). Never take it past 70°C (160°F), which scalds the milk and turns it flat and sweetly cooked.
7. Knock the jug once on the bench to burst any large bubbles and swirl it until the milk looks like wet glossy paint with no visible foam structure; this microfoam is the entire point of the drink.
8. Pour from a height into the centre of the espresso to fold the milk under the crema, then drop the jug close to the surface and let the foam come through as you pull the jug back across the cup for a rosetta or a tulip. Serve immediately, with a shallow layer of foam no more than 5 mm deep.

Technique

• The flat white is defined by microfoam, not by size. It carries far less foam than a cappuccino and much more texture than a latte, and it should taste stronger than a latte because the coffee to milk ratio is higher in a smaller cup.
• The origin is genuinely disputed. Sydney claims it from Moors Espresso Bar in the mid 1980s and Wellington claims it from around the same period; both countries have documentary evidence and neither concedes.
• Full-cream milk foams best because the fat carries flavour and stabilises the bubbles. Skim milk makes stiffer, drier foam that sits on top rather than integrating.
• Milk can only be steamed once. Reheating steamed milk breaks the proteins down and gives a thin, bubbly, slightly eggy result.

Substitutions

• No espresso machine: a moka pot or an Aeropress with a concentrated brew gets close, and milk can be textured with a French press by plunging vigorously for 30 seconds after heating to 60°C (140°F).
• Oat milk labelled barista edition is the best non-dairy option, since it contains added fat and stabilisers that let it hold microfoam; plain oat and almond milks split and go bubbly.

Variations

• A magic, a Melbourne speciality, is a double ristretto in a 160 ml cup with the same milk texture, slightly sweeter and less bitter.
• A piccolo is the same drink built in a 90 ml glass, milk-textured the same way.
• A long black takes the same espresso poured over 120 ml hot water, preserving the crema.

History

Claimed on both sides of the Tasman in the mid-1980s, with Sydney and Wellington cafes each named as the origin of the velvety microfoam pour.

Frequently asked questions

What is Flat White?

Flat White is a drink from Australia: espresso with velvety steamed milk, cornerstone of Australian coffee culture. Claimed on both sides of the Tasman in the mid-1980s, with Sydney and Wellington cafes each named as the origin of the velvety microfoam pour.

How long does Flat White take to make?

Flat White takes 2 min of preparation and 1 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1 cup, 150 to 160 ml. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Flat White?

Yes, within limits. No espresso machine: a moka pot or an Aeropress with a concentrated brew gets close, and milk can be textured with a French press by plunging vigorously for 30 seconds after heating to 60°C (140°F). Oat milk labelled barista edition is the best non-dairy option, since it contains added fat and stabilisers that let it hold microfoam; plain oat and almond milks split and go bubbly.

What is the most important thing to get right in Flat White?

Stretch the milk for only 3 to 4 seconds, listening for a soft steady tearing sound rather than loud screeching, which introduces the small volume of air a flat white needs: much less than a cappuccino.