What is the difference between cappuccino and latte: highlights

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

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

Cooking technology

To understand the difference between latte coffee and cappuccino, first of all, you should pay attention to the technology of preparing these drinks.

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

Proportions of ingredients

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

Milk foam

Answering the question of how cappuccino differs from latte macchiato, you must first understand what is the difference between latte and latte macchiato. Macchiato is its variety. It is obtained as a three-layer drink with a speck on the foam, which is why it is translated as "stained milk".

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

However, there is one requirement that the crema in these two types of coffee has in common: it cannot have extra bubbles and must look uniform. Previously, a little cinnamon or cocoa could be poured 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, animal face, planets and stars, write an inscription orrecognition and 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.

Aroma and taste of the drink

Some people like and drink only latte, while others prefer cappuccino. And arguing about which drink is tastier and better is completely stupid. These two types of coffee have completely different taste and aroma. The coffee cocktail has a gentle and milder taste, its aroma is weak, barely perceptible. The ingredients in the cappuccino are matched in such a way that the taste of coffee is slightly smoothed out by foam and milk.

All people have different tastes and preferences, so some people are attached with all their heart to a delicate 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 you understand how cappuccino differs from latte. Recognizing and distinguishing between these two drinks is not difficult at all.

Conclusion

Above we looked at a few differences between latte and cappuccino. However, there are still no less important points of how latte differs from cappuccino. Key differences:

1. Latte is a gentle drink, more like a coffee cocktail, and cappuccino is coffee with milk foam.
2. Cappuccino should have the same amount of coffee, milk and foam (third part), while latte should have 2/3 foam and milk, and coffee - only the remaining third part.
3. Cappuccino has a dense foam, and latte is soft and airy. Right on the foamlatte experienced barista is able to draw a real masterpiece.
4. Lattes are served in an Irish glass, and cappuccinos are served in small porcelain cups that widen towards the top.
5. Coffee cocktail has a more subtle and delicate taste, while cappuccino has a more noticeable aroma of coffee with a hint of milk.

That's basically all you need to know to understand the difference between cappuccino and latte. Now, knowing all the distinctive points, you can try both drinks, evaluate their merits and choose the one that you like the most.