Flat White with Velvety Microfoam
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats.
A double espresso in a 160 ml cup with silky, barely aerated steamed milk and a thin microfoam heart on top.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Pull the shot. Pull a double espresso, 18 g in and about 40 ml out, into the warm cup. The smaller cup keeps the coffee flavour strong.
- 2
Texture the milk. Let in air for just 2-3 s, then spin the milk to 60-65 °C. The foam should be thin and silky, about 5 mm deep, with no visible bubbles.
- 3
Blend. Pour from high in a thin stream so the milk blends under the crema, until the cup is about two-thirds full.
- 4
Pour the heart. Bring the spout close to the surface and let a round white disc spread, then lift slightly and draw the stream through the middle to make a heart.
Storage
Serve immediately. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
4 g protein for 79 kcal = 5.1 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 20% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low salt: 0.1 g salt per 100 ml (limit ≤ 0.3 g)
Per 100 ml of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 146 ml a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Caffeine · Free sugars
- Per serving: about 85 mg caffeine (serving: 1 flat white (double espresso, 40 ml)). Source: 40 ml espresso × USDA FDC SR Legacy #171891 (espresso, 212 mg/100 g).
- Scaling: making more servings does not change the caffeine in each serving; what counts is how many servings you drink in a day. 1 serving: 85 mg · 2 servings: 170 mg · 3 servings: 255 mg (above EFSA 200 mg at once) · 4 servings: 340 mg (above EFSA 200 mg at once).
- General guideline: EFSA Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine (2015): for healthy adults, up to 200 mg in a single dose and up to 400 mg per day do not raise safety concerns. 1 serving = 21 % of 400 mg. EFSA
0 g per serving
0 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- espresso machine with steam wand
- burr grinder
- digital scale
- tamper
- timer
- milk jug (350 ml) with a pointed spout
- thermometer (optional)
- preheated cup (about 160 ml)
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 79 kcal |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 6.6 g |
| of which sugars | 6.3 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 4.1 g |
| of which saturates | 2.3 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Salt | 0.15 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.1 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
