All about Flat White

Definition of Flat White

As the name suggests, flat white literally means ´flat´
combined with ´white´, representing milk.
It´s a name derived from creating milk in
a finely textured foam and blending it with espresso.
This style of coffee is also known as ´Oceanian coffee´,
as it is popularly consumed in Australia, New Zealand,
and other countries in the Oceania region.

The Origin of Flat White

Australia and New Zealand both claim to be
the birthplace of the flat white.

In Australia, it is attributed to barista Alan Preston,
who first introduced it to his café menu
when he opened a café in Sydney in 1985.
However, in New Zealand, it is said that barista
Fraser McInnes accidentally invented the flat white
in 1989 at the Bodega Bar in Wellington,
when he made a cappuccino but failed to
produce the milk foam properly.

What´s clear is that flat white has now become
a beloved coffee menu worldwide,
beyond Australia and New Zealand.

Differences between flat white and latte

The texture of milk is different

The flat white is similar to a latte in the sense
that it combines espresso with milk,
but the texture of the milk is where the difference lies.
A latte is made by pouring steamed milk over espresso shots,
with milk foam on top, resulting in distinct layers of coffee
and milk. On the other hand, in a flat white, the milk is mixed
with the espresso at a much finer foam state,
completely blending the two in a smooth, harmonious form.
The milk foam in a flat white is velvety smooth,
and is often referred to as microfoam steamed milk.

Differences between flat white and cappuccino

The amount of espresso is different

While a cappuccino features a smaller amount of espresso,
a traditional flat white is usually made with
a double shot of espresso.
Additionally, cappuccino foam tends to have larger milk bubbles
compared to the very fine bubbles found in flat white foam.
As a result, the overall appearance of a flat white
tends to be more uniform in color, with tiny specks of white.
When the milk foam is mixed into the espresso, it creates
a small white spot on the surface where the milk was poured,
which is where the name ´flat white´ was derived.

Flat White Recipes Created with Nespresso

Enjoy with Vertuo Double Espresso Scuro Capsule

You can easily make a flat white, a favourite in Australia,
at home or in the office.
For the perfect flat white, use about 1.5 times
the amount of milk compared to espresso for the foam.
It´s best to use a cup slightly smaller than
those used for lattes or cappuccinos.
Make an easy cup of flat white, with Nespresso capsules.

Scuro Flat White

Ingredients:
1 Nespresso Vertuo Double Espresso Scuro capsule,
80-120ml of milk, Vertuo Gran Lungo cup, Aeroccino 4

Instructions:
1. Pour 80-120ml of milk into the Aeroccino and heat it.
Since a flat white has less milk foam,
you can simply remove the whisk spring
and heat the milk without too much frothing.

2. Extract the Nespresso Vertuo Double Espresso
Scuro capsule (80ml) into the Vertuo Gran Lungo cup.

. Pour the prepared milk into the extracted double espresso.