Italian Cappuccino – what you need to know

Cappuccino is a typical Italian drink to be enjoyed at breakfast, whether sitting with a cornetto in a café.

What is it?

It is a long coffee with frothy milk with bitter cocoa on top of it. The milk is first heated and frothed separately and then mixed with the coffee drink to create a pleasant froth. For the more skilled, you can even draw on the cappuccino! Make heart shapes, suns, write dedications with milk. More info here. 

Cappuccino vs Latte

When ordering at the café, you may notice on the list cappuccino as well caffelatte. Both items seem to indicate the same product but in reality this is not the truth: here are the differences.

1. Cappuccino typically consists of equal parts of espresso, steamed milk, and frothed milk. The frothed milk is spooned on top of the espresso and steamed milk, creating a layer of foam. The foam on top is often dusted with cocoa powder.
2. Caffelatte consists of a shot of espresso, steamed milk, and a small layer of frothed milk on top. The frothed milk on top is usually thinner and less dense than that of a cappuccino.

In Italy, it is customary for people to make “caffellatte” at home by mixing milk and coffee, while “cappuccino” is the preferred espresso-based drink that Italians typically order at cafés.

Here is the cappuccino recipe

FIRST STEP: Make espresso with a coffee machine and pour it into the base of the cup.

SECOND STEP: You will need the steaming attachment to obtain a foam of about 4-6 cm. While the spout is a few centimetres from the cup, gradually pour in the milk. Bring the milk frother spout as close as possible to the surface of the drink and when it almost touches the coffee, tilt it and increase the pouring speed.

THIRD STEP: Sprinkle a little cocoa powder over the froth. 

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