This is a coffee drink that we love so much. It is called the macchiato. A macchiato is a delicious coffee drink that is made with milk and espresso. We call it a lighter version of the classic latte. It is an ideal drink for those that want caffeine without taking so many calories. Some questions might be on your mind about this delicious drink, so we'll love to tell you all about it.

What is a Macchiato?

It's a popular coffee drink made with espresso, milk, and sweeteners.

What is espresso?

Espresso is hot, strong coffee. In other words, a café macchiato is a drink made with a shot of espresso and frothed milk. Another macchiato you might find is called a latte macchiato. It is like the opposite of the normal macchiato, it is made when steamed milk is stained with a little espresso. We call it an espresso forward kind of the classic latte.

Let's come down to the difference between a latte and a latte macchiato. The latte is made when steamed milk is mixed with a shot of espresso while a latte macchiato is made when espresso is strained on milk.  

Why is it called 'Macchiato'?

There are several theories. But first, the macchiato means ‘stained’ in Italian, which means espresso that is slightly stained with milk foam. One theory says that it was invented in Italy to imitate an Americano or an Americano.

Other theories say that the first macchiato was made with whole milk, but this was an unpopular choice. Another theory says that the drink was invented because some baristas were looking for a way that people could enjoy espresso in the afternoon. People preferred latte's, which are made with low-fat milk, and sometimes with extra foam on top. 

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ESPRESSO MORE

Now that you are aware of this delicious drink, let's start making espresso that is the base for the macchiato. We recommend the macchiato if the richness of the milk in classic lattes rumbles your stomach. In this case, drip coffee or another kind of strong coffee will not be okay. 

This means you’d need the following

Dark roasted beans for the espresso: The dark roast will brew strong espresso. Ensure the beans are finely ground. Remember to always use freshly roasted coffee beans, then grind it just before brewing, so you can get all its aromatic compounds and flavors.

Stale beans that have been sitting on supermarket shelves may not give you the flavors you want

Espresso machine: It could be a manual espresso machine or portable espresso maker. The cheapest option to go for is the Aeropress or Moka Pot, it won't brew espresso, but it can make espresso-style coffee.  

How to make a Macchiato

• 2 shots of espresso
• ¼ cup of milk foam

We’ve gotten to the interesting part. Once you have gotten your high-quality coffee beans, milk, and other tools, you are ready to make the macchiato.

1. Pull a shot of espresso using any of your favorite brewing methods like the portable espresso maker, espresso machine, or Aeropress.
2. Grind the coffee beans, put them into the portafilter, and pull a shot. 
3. It is time to heat the milk before frothing it (if you own an espresso machine, it is time to steam). As we mentioned, the perfect temperature for heating the milk is about 65 degrees Celsius. 
4. Then froth the milk using your desired method, whisk, a milk frother, or French press. Your goal here is to produce dry foam that is lighter and fluffy.
5. When you are done, remove the foam on top (dry foam) then put it on the espresso.

The macchiato is not like the latte that the foam will incorporate into the drink, for the macchiato, the foam will float on top.

What's the best type of milk to use?

When making a macchiato at home, a popular choice is regular milk, with a splash of milk and cream, so it can double up on cream for extra richness. Whichever milk you use, remember that it needs to be as cold as possible when you are frothing or pouring.

You can always go for 2% milk if you own a handheld frother. The most important thing is for the milk to be fresh because if it getting closer to the expiry date, it won't foam as much as it should.

Are you vegan, and you are wondering if you could use vegan milk for the macchiato? The answer is Yes. The best vegan milk to use for this recipe is oat milk. It’ll froth well, and it has a great flavor.

HOW TO FROTH MILK WITH AN ESPRESSO MACHINE

Making a cup of espresso isn't the hard part of making this drink, it is the frothing of the milk that requires technique. But we have good news, you don't stress yourself the same way you froth milk for a latte. For the macchiato, you’d use dry foam. The dry foam is also known as the light bubble foam that is produced after frothing milk.  It'll be easier if you own a countertop espresso machine. It will help you to steam the milk easily with the steam wand. You can also use a whisk.

This is how to froth milk with an espresso machine:

1. Place the steaming wand to be below the surface of the milk.
2. Keep steaming the milk until the size is doubled, and it has lots of bubbles. 
3. Then lower the steaming process slightly, the milk should only get to 65 degrees Celsius.
4. If you have a thermometer, you can use it, if you don't, you can know how hot the milk is when you hold the pitcher for a few seconds. 

TOOLS FOR FROTHING ANY KIND OF MILK FOR A MACCHIATO 

As we mentioned earlier, there are different ways to steam milk without an espresso machine. You can just heat the milk then froth it.  These tools will still produce great steamed milk for the macchiato. These are the tools a home barista would need to froth milk.

A handheld frother: You can buy a milk frother, it works perfectly and makes the milk really frothy. 

A French press: If you already have a French press, you wouldn't have to bother about froth because it can make enough foam for the macchiato. It can make bubbles that are larger than the ones made with a frother.

Whisk: A whisk is a great tool for frothing. A really handy kitchen tool that whips the milk properly. Note that it will make larger bubbles and generate less foam.

We’d let you in on another delicious coffee drink called the iced caramel macchiato, you may not find it in regular coffee shops, that is the reason why you have to make it at home. An iced caramel macchiato is a vanilla-flavored espresso with caramel drizzle.

What You’ll Need

• One or two shots of espresso
• 2 tablespoons of vanilla
• Milk  (you can use 2% milk for this recipe)
• Ice cubes 
• Caramel sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour milk, vanilla syrup, and ice cubes into your favorite cup.
2. Then pull a shot of espresso and add it to the mixture.
3. Add the caramel drizzle for finishing and voilà, the drink is ready.

TIPS: The iced caramel macchiato has to be made in a certain order, the milk and vanilla syrup should be poured in first, then the espresso will be on top. The caramel drizzle has to be added last.

Remember not to stir the drink, so you don't spoil the layers. The first few sips you’ll take will be espresso mixed with sweetened caramel, as the espresso mixes with the vanilla, it will taste like the vanilla latte.

Isn't this a pretty delicious drink? So many flavors in one cup, you need to try it. If you don't follow the correct order, it will not be an iced caramel macchiato, it will be an iced vanilla latte or iced caramel latte. But who says coffee must be taken in a particular way.

There is also the upside-down iced caramel macchiato. As the name implies, the ingredients will go in a reversed order. The caramel sauce will be poured in first, followed by the espresso, then milk ice, and vanilla syrup.

There you have it, now you can prepare your delicious macchiato without going to a coffee shop. From the recipe, you must have seen that the base for this drink is espresso and espresso has to be made with freshly roasted coffee beans, and you can get some here.