Latte and cappuccino: what's the difference?

The Internet tells us that cappuccino is coffee and latte is a coffee drink. We dare to disagree - if we consider everything from a similar point of view, then coffee is exclusively espresso, and everything else is “coffee drinks”.

They also like to write that cappuccino and latte differ in the way they are cooked, which is as follows: in latte we pour milk into coffee, and in cappuccino - coffee into milk. This is not true. Cappuccino involves the addition of milk to espresso, and both options are correct for a latte if there is a complete mixing of the products.

Both drinks are made with espresso. Do not be alarmed if the menu "espresso cappuccino" and "espresso latte" are indicated on the menu. This is correct, since the initial core of the drink is a serving of espresso. If you want the simplest formulation that will forever allow you to understand the differences between drinks - cappuccino is coffee with milk, and latte is milk with coffee.

So, the thing is milk.

The main milk differences are the amount, foam and method of infusion. Naturally, the way of serving is different - for a cappuccino it is always a cup, and for a latte - a special glass. It is also important to understand that latte art cannot be done on latte, although the names are similar, beautiful milk drawings are possible only on a “wet” type cappuccino or on classic coffee with milk.

For a latte, the ratio of coffee, milk and milk foam is 1: 2: 1. This is a classic formula, however, many professional baristas say that milk foam on a latte should be only up to 2 centimeters, and evenly mixed milk and espresso should occupy the rest of the glass. The volume of the finished drink in a classic latte glass is about 240 ml.

For cappuccino, the ratio of milk to coffee is 2: 1, but instead of milk, milk foam is mainly used here, so there is very little milk in cappuccino. The volume of a classic serving of cappuccino usually does not exceed 180 ml.

For a latte, milk is not so much whipped as it warms up to a temperature of 60 degrees, which when mixed with espresso gives the temperature of the finished drink up to 70 degrees, otherwise the guest runs the risk of getting burned. Warming up and slight movements by the milkman give an insignificant amount of foam, which rises to the top of the drink during mixing. For cappuccino, milk is whipped, depending on the type of preparation, either glossy and elastic, or dense and dry foam are created. In the first case, latte art is just possible; in the second case, the foam completely covers the espresso and forms a dense “hat”.

Now let's talk about layers. Layered drinks or gradients look gorgeous and are very loved by guests. However, it is important to understand that layering is not always evidence of the professionalism of the barista. Many establishments serve classic latte with several layers. Technically, there is nothing wrong with this, as the guest will still stir the drink and get a uniform texture. However, for layered latte has its own name - latte-macchiato. This drink is also similar to latte and cappuccino, as it contains 1 part milk, one part espresso and one part milk foam. Espresso gently pours into milk and does not mix with it, forming a noticeable layer. You can make several layers, playing with the speed and intensity of the espresso filling.

If you just pour espresso into milk for latte and get an unusual gradient - do not rush to rejoice: this means that you have overheated milk.

So, we repeat again: latte is espresso plus milk, cappuccino is espresso plus foam. This seemingly insignificant difference allows you to create drinks with a completely different taste.

Barista's blog, all about coffee http://barista-training.in.ua/blog?id\u003d14

Coffee is an amazing drink that has conquered almost the whole world. Today, coffee houses are one of the most popular types of services and catering in the whole world. It is difficult to imagine a modern office worker who does not start the day with his favorite coffee. And there are a lot of types of this drink - espresso, glass, ristretto, mocha, americano, mocaccino. Each of these coffees is distinguished by astringency, tenderness, rich taste, mild aroma or languid finish. Today we’ll talk about one of the most popular types of drink - latte and cappuccino. In appearance they seem similar, even the cooking method is somewhat similar. But a properly prepared latte is fundamentally different from a cappuccino, it all depends on the amount of milk added, the cooking technology, the method of serving. In this article, we will reveal the secrets of making these coffee drinks and find out how they all the same differ.

The main components of latte and cappuccino are coffee (espresso) and milk (sometimes mixed with cream). However, each of these drinks has its own taste, way of serving, and appearance. In fact, cappuccino is one of the varieties of coffee drink. And latte is more equated with milkshakes based on coffee taste. Each of them has its own way of cooking and the nuances that we will tell you about.

How to make a cappuccino - features a coffee drink

The three main components of latte and cappuccino are milk, espresso and milk froth. How they combine in the famous cappuccino, let's try to figure it out.

1. Ingredients.   The proportions in the preparation of cappuccino are strictly equal, that is, a third of espresso, a third of milk and the same amount of milk froth. The amount of sugar is added to taste. In addition, cappuccino is usually decorated with topping - it can be cinnamon, chocolate or cocoa, which are sprinkled on top in the form of a pattern or simply random.
2. Cooking.   Preparing a drink is not difficult - first you need to pour espresso into the cup. Then milk needs to be whipped and carefully added to the same cup - it settles to the bottom. The foam obtained by whipping is laid out on top. The drink does not mix, served in layers.
3. Foam.   Milk foam on the surface of the cappuccino is denser and stronger, which holds the topping - sugar and other ingredients. The layer of foam in the cappuccino is always high, the top decoration does not settle. To get a thicker foam, milk for cappuccino whips longer.
4. Taste. The drink has a pronounced coffee flavor. If sugar is not added, you can catch a slight nutty note.
5. Innings.   Cappuccino in good coffee houses is served in a cup with smooth edges, the volume of the dishes is about 200 ml. It is the smooth edges of the cup - this is one of the components of a strong and thick milk foam that holds the top decoration.
6. Use.   Cappuccino has more coffee, so the drink can be considered an excellent completion of the main meal. Drink a drink right through the foam - this is his highlight, for which many love him. The ideal dessert for this type of coffee drink is chocolate and creamy flavors, such as light cakes.

Before you want to enjoy a delicious cappuccino, do not stir it - it will not only ruin the taste of the drink, but also be considered bad form. To enjoy the taste and aroma of cappuccino, try not to add sugar to it. And then the drink will be revealed to you completely.

People who are far from the bitter taste of espresso prefer latte - its delicate milky aroma will conquer even the most capricious picks.
  Ingredients. In this drink, the coffee component is only 20% espresso. Another 20% is milk foam. The rest is high-fat milk, or milk mixed in half with cream.

1. Cooking.   A classic latte is prepared in the same way as a cappuccino - everything is poured in layers into the dishes, the only difference is in the proportion of milk and coffee. Latte macchiato is prepared in a different sequence - first pour milk into a glass or glass mixed with warm cream, then spread the froth and add espresso only at the end. Today in the coffee industry both mixed latte drink and served in layers are allowed.
2. Foam.   Milk foam in latte has a smaller volume, it is much more loose and airy. Such a layer of foam is usually not decorated with anything, since it will not withstand topping. In fact, the foam is an independent decoration and a great taste component.
     Taste. Latte tastes like a classic milkshake with the addition of a coffee ingredient. If you do not add sugar to it, the milk taste will be quite pronounced.
3. Innings.   Latte is served in a much larger volume, 250-300 ml, and sometimes more. The soft taste of the drink allows you to drink a lot of milkshake. Typically, latte is served in tall glasses or glasses with widened edges.
4. Use. A large volume of drink implies that latte can be consumed as a separate meal. Europeans believe that this is a morning drink due to the large amount of milk in it. However, you can enjoy latte anywhere and anytime - there are no restrictions. Typically, a drink is served with a spoon, which is mixed with a cocktail, as well as with a pipe through which lattes are usually drunk. The drink is served in a fairly hot form, so you should definitely give a napkin to the glass without a handle, which holds the container so as not to burn yourself.

Latte goes well with fruit and curd desserts - cheesecakes, mousses, souffles, puddings, pastille, etc.

The technique of preparing and serving coffee drinks is a whole science, which is owned by experienced barista. Enjoy the taste and appearance of cappuccino and latte and know firmly how they differ!

Video: what is the difference between latte and cappuccino?

Modern coffee houses offer a wide variety of drinks. It is difficult to choose something from the assortment, especially when cocktails do not differ in composition. First of all, it concerns latte and cappuccino, both of them include coffee and milk. However, this is where their similarity ends. What is the difference between such seemingly similar types of coffee?

This is the first difference between latte and cappuccino. Despite the fact that both have milk, coffee and foam, the proportions of the components are different.

• Latte. It has twice as much milk as coffee or milk foam and is therefore considered an espresso-based cocktail. Half of the composition is warmed milk, and the second half is the rest of the ingredients.
• Cappuccino. In it, all three components are in equal proportions, so it is considered a type of coffee.

In other words, their main difference is the concentration of milk, which is lower for the second drink.

Milk foam

The foam they have is also different in structure, density and appearance.

• Latte. This is a very gentle and soft drink, and the foam is light and airy. Most often, it resembles a lush dome in shape, which easily passes sugar through and is suitable for drawing patterns. The decoration technique is called latte art. A correctly executed pattern should remain on the surface for 12 minutes, even if everything has already been drunk. Foam with decor just settles to the bottom of the glass.
• Cappuccino. The foam is heavy and thick, darker in color than a cocktail. If properly beaten, it will even withstand the weight of some objects. This is easy to verify in practice: the foam will not sink under the weight of a spoon or sugar sprinkled on it, which cannot be said for cocktail foam.

The refined taste of latte and the aromatic strength of cappuccino are familiar to many people. But, unfortunately, few know how cappuccino differs from latte. If you rarely drink coffee, you can easily confuse these two drinks, but for the real barista, the difference is obvious. To know exactly which drink you like best, consider the difference between these two types of coffee.

Cooking technology

To understand how it differs from cappuccino, first of all, you should pay attention to the technology of preparation of these drinks.

To prepare a classic latte, first take hot whipped milk, pour it into a cup or other container, and only then gently add hot espresso. Thus, an amazing drink in several layers is obtained. To make a cappuccino, you need to pour enough strong coffee into a cup, then put a layer of foam and mix thoroughly. The result is an almost uniform drink.

Proportion of Ingredients

One of the main differences between drinks is that latte is a coffee cocktail based on espresso, and cappuccino is directly means that the coffee content in the latter is much higher. It consists of three elements that need to be taken in equal proportions: strong coffee, hot milk and foam. A latte contains two elements: 1/3 part - coffee, 2/3 - hot whipped milk.

Milk foam

When answering the question of how cappuccino differs from latte macchiato, one must first understand what the difference between latte and latte macchiato is. Macchiato is its variety. It is obtained in the form of a three-layer drink with a speck on the foam, which is why it translates as “stained milk”.

What is the difference between cappuccino and latte? Milk foam. Such an invariable attribute as foam needs special attention. In a real cappuccino, she can support the weight of a spoonful of sugar. It has a dense and dense foam, and latte - airy, like a fluffy cloud. Milk foam should be so light that you can create a voluminous dome in a cup of coffee.

However, there is one requirement that combines foam in these two types of coffee: it cannot have excess bubbles and should look uniform. Previously, a little cinnamon or cocoa could be sprinkled on top of the foam, but now whole works of art are painted on it.

An experienced and professional barista will be able to draw any pattern, face of an animal, planet and star, write an inscription or recognition and much more. If the foam is made correctly, then the pattern on it will remain for 12 minutes. Even if you drink all the coffee during this time, the picture should just settle at the bottom.

The aroma and taste of the drink

Some people love and drink only latte, while others prefer cappuccino. And to argue about what kind of drink is tastier and better is completely stupid. These two types of coffee have a completely different taste and aroma. It has a delicate and softer taste, its aroma is weak, barely perceptible. The ingredients in the cappuccino are correlated in such a way that the taste of the coffee is slightly smoothed out by foam and milk.

All people have different tastes and preferences, so some wholeheartedly become attached to a gentle coffee cocktail, while others invariably choose a rich cappuccino. It is the difference between the taste and aroma of these types of coffee that will help to understand how cappuccino differs from latte. Recognizing and distinguishing these two drinks is not difficult at all.

Conclusion

Above, we looked at a few differences between latte and cappuccino. However, there are still equally important points of how latte differs from cappuccino. The main differences:

1. Latte is a gentle drink, rather, even a coffee shake, and cappuccino is just coffee with milk foam.
2. In a cappuccino, you need to take the same amount of coffee, milk and foam (the third part), and in latte should be 2/3 of the foam and milk, and coffee - only the remaining third part.
3. Cappuccino has a dense foam, and latte - soft and airy. It is on a foam latte that an experienced barista is able to draw a real masterpiece.
4. To serve a latte, an irish glass is used, and for cappuccino, small porcelain cups expanding to the top.
5. A coffee cocktail has a more delicate and delicate taste, and cappuccino has a more noticeable coffee aroma with a touch of milk.

That's basically all you need to know to understand how cappuccino differs from latte. Now, knowing all the distinguishing points, you can try both drinks, evaluate their merits and choose for yourself the one that will appeal to you the most.

Many of us have already enjoyed the refined taste of latte and the aromatic strength of cappuccino. However, not everyone knows how these two drinks differ. If you are not an avid and experienced coffee lover, then at first glance it may seem that they are similar: in both cases, coffee and milk are mixed. In fact, here there are subtleties that allow you to create a unique taste of latte or cappuccino. How to correctly emphasize the word "latte" we wrote.

The main differences

All the difference lies mainly in the technology of preparation, various proportions, as well as peculiar additives that give “their” taste qualities to similarly similar drinks initially. If you disassemble the subtleties and take a closer look at the drinks, then you can easily distinguish them further in appearance and peculiar taste.

Proportions

The main difference between the drinks is that the latte is actually a coffee cocktail, or an espresso-based drink, while cappuccino is a type of coffee. This means that in cappuccino coffee concentration is significantly higher than in latte. So, the standard composition of cappuccino is 1/3 of strong coffee, 1/3 of hot milk and 1/3 of whipped milk foam. In latte, 1/3 of espresso is accounted for 2/3 of whipped hot milk.

The difference in cooking technology

In order to make a classic latte, you need to pour whipped hot milk into a cup and only then, very carefully add hot espresso. In this case, a surprisingly layered drink will be obtained. And for cappuccino, pour strong coffee, spread a layer of foam, and then mix it - as a result, an almost uniform drink is obtained.

The most popular recipes for making cappuccino at home, as well as drawing techniques on it are presented.

You can learn more about what latte and its recipes are at home.

Milk foam

This invariable attribute of the drink also deserves attention: in a real cappuccino, it will withstand the heaviness of a spoonful of granulated sugar. And if in cappuccino it is thick and rather dense, in latte it is more like fluffy clouds. So foam is so light that it’s easy to lay out a voluminous dome in an espresso cup. A common requirement unites foam: it should be without unnecessary air bubbles and uniform in appearance. We wrote about how to whip milk for cappuccino.

And if earlier aesthetes sprinkled cocoa foam or cinnamon, now coffee gurus have invented a real design and. An experienced barista skillfully creates real masterpieces when making a drink: fancy patterns, funny animal faces, stars and planets, short inscriptions and love confessions, silhouettes and even photos of visitors. The “right” foam retains the pattern for 12 minutes. Even if at the same time a large part of the drink is drunk, the outlandish drawing will practically sink to the bottom almost without changes.

Coffee bartenders apply mesmerizing drawings with the help of special stencils, sharp objects or a special vessel for whole milk - pitcher. Passionate coffee lovers claim that drinking such an invigorating and at the same time beautiful drink is a pleasure.

Taste and Aroma

Some people prefer to drink exclusively latte, while others like cappuccino. It is pointless to argue which drink is better, since they have a completely different aroma and taste. Latte has a delicate and softer taste, and the coffee aroma is slightly weaker than cappuccino. The ratio of ingredients in the cappuccino is such that the coffee taste is only slightly smoothed out by milk and foam. That is why some invariably choose a more delicate coffee cocktail, while others with all their souls become attached to a more saturated cappuccino.

Serving Features

It is not surprising that different drinks have different serving methods. So, it is customary to serve a cappuccino exclusively in small cups, with a capacity of up to 180 ml, which retain heat longer. It is desirable that the porcelain cup has a shape that extends upward. In this case, the foam layer will be of optimal thickness.

The inhabitants of Italy drank latte in the morning in the old days, hence this “informal rule” was to serve coffee in a large cup or glass, the capacity of which is 240 or 360 ml. For both drinks there are peculiar additives: hot and grated chocolate, syrup, air marshmallow, cinnamon, caramel and liquor. In any case, the true coffee lover is more content than serving. Therefore, if the drink was prepared correctly and with love, then drinking it is a pleasure.

Conclusion

Now you can distinguish layered latte from a relatively uniform cappuccino. And taking a sip, “recognize” a coffee or milk note of the drink. So, recall that:

1. Cappuccino is exclusively coffee, and latte is a more delicate drink (cocktail).
2. The proportions of the ingredients in the cappuccino are presented in equal parts, and in the latte for 1/3 of strong coffee you should take 2/3 of whole milk and whipped foam.
3. Cappuccino has a denser foam, and latte - light and airy, on this foam not ordinary pictures are obtained, but unique masterpieces.
4. Latte is customary to serve to visitors in an irish glass, and cappuccino is customary to drink from small porcelain cups, which expand upward.
5. Latte has a more delicate and delicate taste. And cappuccino is a more noticeable coffee aroma and taste with a “milky” note.

Finally, we suggest watching a video on how to make coffee drinks - latte and cappuccino at home: