Guides

Types of coffee drinks and how to make them

Pick a drink to see what goes into it, how strong it tastes and how to make it at home. No two cafés pour quite the same size, so read the amounts as typical rather than official. Coffee and water are in grams because you’ll be weighing them, and 1 g of water is 1 ml anyway.

Espresso with milk

Cappuccino

You get the airy foam first, then warm, sweet milk and a proper hit of coffee.

  • Milk foam ≈ 60 ml
  • Steamed milk ≈ 70 ml
  • Espresso ≈ 40 ml
  • About 170 ml
Cross-section, drawn to scale, with typical amounts.

Espresso with steamed milk and a thick cap of foam, 1 to 2 cm deep. A traditional one is 150 to 180 ml. A lot of North American cafés serve them much bigger, and at that size it drinks more like a foamy latte.

Ratio1:3–1:4, espresso to milk
RecipeDouble shot + 120 ml milk, deep foam
MilkSteamed, thick foam (about 75% of the drink)
Serve in150–180 ml cup
Time25–30 s shot
How strong it tastesMedium

How to make it

  1. Pull a double shot (18 g in, 36 g out) into a 150–180 ml cup.
  2. Steam about 150 ml of milk to 55 to 65 °C, letting in air for longer to build a thick foam.
  3. Pour until the foam comes up to the rim and sits 1 to 2 cm deep.

Tip: Pour a bit faster than you would for a latte, with the jug close to the cup. Otherwise the foam stays behind in the jug.

Common mistake: Big, stiff bubbles usually mean the air went in too late. Get it in early, then swirl the jug until the milk is glossy.

Variations

  • Dry: more foam, less milk
  • Wet: more milk, closer to a latte
  • Dusted: cocoa or cinnamon on top

At a café

In Italy it’s a morning drink, and not many people order one after lunch.

Cappuccino vs. latte: A latte has more milk and much less foam, so it’s bigger, flatter and milder. See the latte

You’ll need: Espresso machine, grinder, scale and milk jug.