Latte and cappuccino: what is the difference?

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world.Today, in any, even the smallest city, there are always several coffee shops. This drink has become a symbol of the morning, and millions of people really cannot imagine the beginning of the day without a cup of strong aromatic coffee. There are many varieties of drink: espresso, americano, macchiato, raf, etc. They differ from each other in the way of preparation, taste, aroma and appearance.

Today we talk about latte and cappuccino. These options are similar to each other, but still have differences.

Latte and cappuccino are rightly recognized as the most popular coffee drinks in the world. The country of origin of lattes is considered to be America, and Italy is the birthplace of cappuccino. Hot milk foamed with steam is used to make these drinks, but the main difference is in its quantity. Also, cappuccino and latte differ in their taste, type of serving, cooking features, etc. Let us examine each of these items in more detail.

For making latte and cappuccino you will need only 2 main components - coffee and milk. Sugar, cinnamon and other toppings are added to taste, they may not be at all. The main difference is in the ratio of the number of these ingredients. So, to make a classic latte, you will need:

• Espresso - 1/4 part;
• milk froth - 1/5 part;
• milk or cream - 3/5 or 1/1.

While the traditional cappuccino recipe includes 1/3 of coffee, milk, and foam. And most often sugar and cinnamon for decoration. It is worth noting that the latte, in fact, is a cocktail based on coffee. A cappuccino is a separate type of coffee.

And since the concentration of espresso in a cappuccino is higher, it is much stronger than a latte. Also, the composition of the latte includes more milk, and hence the caloric content of the drink is higher.

It is not difficult to make cappuccino, the main thing is to keep proportions and choose high-quality, fresh products. Milk must be thoroughly whipped, then add to the cup, which already has a portion of espresso. You do not need to mix the ingredients, because the whole peculiarity of the drink is that gentle milk froth lies on strong coffee.

The process of making a classic latte is exactly the same as for cappuccino; only the proportions of the ingredients differ. But there is also another kind of this cocktail - latte macchiato. To create it, you need to warm the milk or cream, add them to the cup, and only then pour the espresso into it. In this way, a delicious cocktail is obtained that can be left layered or mixed. Just remember that it is much more caloric than regular coffee.

By the way, besides the classic latte and latte macchiato, the latte mocha recipe is quite common. This drink differs in that, in addition to the main ingredients, it also includes dark chocolate. It is placed on the bottom of the tank, then poured foamed hot milk. And only then comes the turn of espresso. It is poured in the middle of the glass in a thin stream.

A cappuccino froth should be dense, so full fat milk is used to create it. That is why it is easy to keep cinnamon, powder, cocoa or other products sprinkling on such skin. The amount of foam in the latte is not that big. And its structure is much more airy and porous, so no additional toppings on it will hold. Both for one and for another drink, milk foam is thoroughly whipped, but for cappuccino this process takes a little longer.

Despite the fact that both cocktails are prepared from the same products, the difference in proportions and technology of preparation significantly affects the taste.Since latte has much less coffee in its composition, its taste is distinguished by a pronounced creamy-milky shade. At the same time, the aroma of coffee here is not basic, but, on the contrary, auxiliary. This cocktail will be more pleasant for you if you prefer to enjoy the taste, and do not expect that its use will give you considerable vitality and strength.

If you ever ordered latte in cafes or restaurants, you probably noticed that the supply of this drink is different from others. It is customary to pour the latte into tall beautiful glasses or glasses made of transparent glass. The cocktail looks especially impressive if it is placed in layers and does not mix. The shape of glasses can be cylindrical, but the most popular option is a narrow glass at the bottom, which becomes wider towards the top. The standard latte size is 250-350 ml.

Cappuccino serving more classic. It is poured into ceramic or porcelain cups with a saucer sized 180-220 ml.

Like any other invigorating drink, you can drink latte and cappuccino in the morning. In addition, the milk in the composition makes the drink quite high-calorie, which means you should not abuse it. However, it is up to you to decide when and how much to drink latte or cappuccino, because everything depends on your lifestyle. We list only a few general recommendations on the use of such coffee:

Drink this cocktail through the foam. This way you will fully experience the unique combination of the bitter taste of espresso and tender milk. And do not mix the drink! It is also better not to add sugar and additional products in order to fully enjoy the taste and aroma of coffee.

Since this cocktail is very high in calories, and also served in a large volume, they will be able to completely replace the usual meal. Especially if you watch your figure. You can drink latte even in the evening, since the concentration of espresso in it is low, which means that it is not particularly invigorating. The ideal dessert for a cocktail is nutty ice cream, cottage cheese and fruit dishes: puddings, panacotta, candy, sorbet, etc.

Now you know exactly how to distinguish latte from cappuccino! And finally, we offer you some interesting facts about these drinks.

• The name "cappuccino" is associated with the Order of the Capuchin monks. They wore brown clothes with a white hood that symbolically resembled a cappuccino: brown drink and white froth on top. According to other sources, the monks did not have a white, but a brown hood. It is from this originated the name cappuccino.
• Latte also appeared thanks to resourceful Italians. According to the legends, they invented a drink consisting of several layers, so that each member of a large family could find in it something to his taste. The children loved delicious air foam, the adults loved fragrant strong espresso. In addition, the addition of a large portion of milk significantly reduced the level of caffeine in the cocktail. So, it could be used more often without fear for health.
• The name "latte" refers to soiled milk. By the way, according to the Italians, drinking coffee is best standing, so the drink is better absorbed.
• Initially, the cappuccino foam was whipped by hand. After some time, they invented a special system that helped make this process simpler and faster. She meant having 2 tanks. In one there was milk, in which steam came from a special container through special tubes.
• It is believed that it is cappuccino that Pope of Rome most likes to drink.
• Drawing on foam latte has become a world tradition. Once at the coffee festival, the deft barista managed to draw 7 roses on the crema of coffee in a 150 ml cup.

Barista moved away from the traditional drawings of the heart and leaf and made a real volumetric masterpiece in the form of a cute kitten. This drink will delight both adults and children.

Making such an image is relatively easy. But at the same time it looks amazing. This drink can be ordered for your girlfriend - she will be happy!

They draw less on cappuccino than on latte. However, this does not mean that the flow of the drink can not be made beautiful.

All three layers of classic latte are clearly visible here. The drink is decorated with airy milk foam with a light dressing.

And here you can see the process of drawing pictures on the milk froth itself. This is an interesting and simple procedure. With a certain skill, you yourself can create such masterpieces.

See how the latte is different from cappuccino in the next video.