Mastering Espresso Macchiato: A Simple Guide

Espresso macchiato is a balanced drink that combines espresso with an equal amount of milk. The term “macchiato” means “stained” in Italian and this name is frequently used to describe small drinks with a little milk cream or even foam.

Espresso macchiato has the highest coffee to milk ratio among all milk-based drinks, and Italians consume this version to replace the sugar traditionally put in espresso. The milk has the property of sweetening the espresso, not covering it as in other drinks.

How to prepare an espresso macchiato?

Preparation is quite simple and can be done using a manual or automatic espresso machine.

Put 12 grams of finely ground coffee into the portafilter.
Tamp strongly to create a compact bed of coffee.
Load the portafilter into the espresso machine.
Start the extraction and stop it when you have obtained 20 ml of espresso.
Prepare the milk with the steamer and pour 20 ml over the extracted coffee.
It is usually served in small, transparent glasses.

About this Item

Flavor	Mushroom Coffee
Brand	Join Top Shelf Grind
Item Form	Ground
Caffeine Content	caffeinated
Specialty	Usda Organic

Tips & Tricks for espresso macchiato

Use naturally processed coffee to create a perfect pairing between milk and coffee.
This processing tends to have a bitter taste, with notes of chocolate or nuts, notes that pair perfectly with a small amount of milk.
Replace the espresso with ristretto for a sweeter, but less caffeinated macchiato.
Some coffee shops only use the foam formed on the surface of the milk that they pour with a teaspoon.
To test if an extraction is correct, homogenize the cream formed on the surface of the espresso, and if it gathers immediately, this is an indicator of a good extraction. Use this technique to obtain a macchiato, but also for other drinks, starting from a correct espresso.