What is a Magic Coffee?
To those who know it, there’s a reason why the magic coffee is named so. A product of Melbourne’s buzzing coffee culture, a magic coffee recipe manages to capture the intense richness of espresso in a shorter cup size, while leaving behind any bitterness. Keen to know the trick behind it?
To achieve the delicate balance of strength and sweet creaminess, the Melbourne magic coffee uses an extraction technique called a ‘ristretto’. It might sound complex, but with the right tools and espresso home baristas can easily replicate it. So, what is a magic coffee? Understand the hype and discover how to make a magic coffee at home ahead.
The Origins of the Melbourne Magic Coffee
Coffees like theflat whiteand long black have their origins in Australian and New Zealand coffee culture, but the magic coffee is specific to just one city. Created in Melbourne in the early 2000s, the magic coffee is named so because of the method’s magical ability to blend the intensity of a double shot with steamed milk for a smooth and balanced flavour. The result? The coffee-lovers go-to for a milk-based coffee that retains its strength with none of the bitterness. Since growing a loyal fan base at home, the Melbourne magic coffee has launched abroad and is now ordered at cafes around the world.
Magic vs Flat White
In terms of format, the closest drink to the magic coffee is probably the flat white – however they yield quite different tastes. A flat white is made using a single or double shot of espresso and less milk than alatte, with only a small micro foam layer on top. A magic coffee recipe uses a double ristretto shot instead of the traditional espresso pour, and has a similar micro foam layer – but stops just shy of filling the whole cup.
What’s the difference between espresso and ristretto? It’s not the amount of coffee used in a shot, but the amount of water used. If you restrict the pour out time of your shot it gives the water less time to pass through, which reduces the bitterness in coffees’ profile. This difference of technique results in a more concentrated flavour but still with the sweetness of milk.
How to Make Magic at Home
Making the perfect magic coffee at home is actually quite simple – what matters is precision. For how to make a magic coffee, you’ll need a concentrated ristretto shot. TheRistretto Classicoyields a distinctly roasted cocoa flavour in a 25ml pour. Begin by extracting your ristretto into a short vessel. Next, steam barista-quality milk using either a milk frother like theAeroccino3 Black Milk Frother, or the automatic steam wand attached to yourCreatista Proespresso machine. Remember that you’re aiming for a flat-white like head of micro foam in your pour, and stop short just short of filling the cup.
