A macchiato is a drink of espresso and foamed milk especially favored in Italy. A macchiato is like a cappuccino and latte, just coffee, milk, and foam is proportion differently than in the other drinks.
Macchiato is an Italian word meaning ‘marked’ or ‘stained’, and may refer to:
- Caffè macchiato AKA espresso macchiato, espresso coffee with a little milk
- Latte macchiato, steamed milk with a little espresso coffee
A traditional macchiato is just a shot of espresso garnished with a small amount of steamed milk, but in some establishments you can also find more exotic flavor-infused versions of it, such as with the addition of caramel syrup.
There are many coffee shops and cafes that serve macchiato varieties, but you can also prepare these beverages at home with a few pieces of equipment
Grind the beans.
To do a double shot of espresso then use about 0.6 – 0.7 ounces of ground coffee for it. Each standard double shot will require about 0.6 ounces of coffee with about 0.7 ounces of ground coffee for it, and how strong you want it is up to you. First, measure the beans and then transfer them to a coffee grinder. Next, grind the beans until they become finely ground..
- A properly ground coffee bean should be about the size of a salt grain. This is the ideal grind for espresso.
- If you don’t have a grinder then you can still buy pre-ground espresso beans from your local grocery shops and coffee shops.
Fill the portafilter with grounds.
In the case of a home or professional espresso maker, remove the portafilter from the group head.
Place the freshly ground coffee beans into the clean portafilter.
To achieve a good espresso, you must accurately distribute grounds in your portafilter, and then tamp the grounds so they are compact.
- In case you do not have access to a professional or home espresso maker, you can use a stovetop espresso maker. Put the grounds into the inner basket and evenly spread the grounds around by using your finger.
- If you don’t have an espresso maker at your disposal you can use strong coffee as a substitute.
Make the espresso shot.
Simply put the portafilter back in the group head, and turn it to lock it in position inside the group head.
Place a demitasse cup under the coffee plumbing on the portafilter and turn on the water pump to pull the shot. Let the water run for about 30 seconds so you can fully extract the shot. It is always a good idea to stir the espresso to distribute the crema that builds up on top.
- When using a stovetop espresso maker, fill the reservoir with water up to the maximum fill line. Put the filter inside the reservoir and then screw on the top. Use medium heat to heat your espresso until it bubbles over into the top reservoir. Pour the espresso into the espresso cup.
Steam the milk.
Pour the cold milk into a tall metallic container. Hold the container at an angle of 45 degrees to the steam wand. Once you put the steam wand into the milk, you will need to turn on the steam.It is important that you steam the milk until the milk has increased in volume and the container is hot to the touch. Remove the container from the heating wand and clean the wand with a damp towel.
- The ideal temperature for steamed milk is approximately 140 F or 60 C.
Pour the milk and serve hot. When your milk is ready, pour the steamed milk onto the espresso. You can use a spoon to scoop a dollop of foam on top.
Serve the macchiato as soon as it is ready. You can either add sugar to the drink, garnish the top with cinnamon or drink the macchiato as is.
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