Flat White Recipe
Make Flat White Recipe in just 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Espresso
Milk
Equipment & finishing
Method
Espresso
Preheat and dose
Preheat your espresso cup by filling it with hot water while you prepare the machine. Grind 18 g of espresso beans to a fine grind suitable for espresso (should feel like table salt).
Tamp and brew
Distribute the ground coffee evenly in an 18 g portafilter basket, tamp with steady 20–30 lb pressure to create a level puck. Lock the portafilter into the machine and brew a double shot aiming for about 36–40 ml of espresso in 25–30 seconds. Adjust grind if extraction is too fast or too slow. Pour brewed espresso into the preheated cup and discard the cup’s hot water.
Milk
Prepare pitcher and milk
Pour 150 ml of whole milk into a chilled or room-temperature stainless-steel frothing pitcher. Purge the steam wand briefly to remove condensation (use the extra 10 ml milk to wipe/rinse if desired).
Steam milk
Submerge the steam wand tip just below the milk surface and turn on steam. Introduce steady, gentle microfoam by keeping the tip near the surface for 2–4 seconds to create a slight hissing sound, then lower the pitcher so the tip is deeper to heat the milk. Target milk temperature 55–65°C (130–150°F). The final texture should be velvety, with very small bubbles and glossy appearance, not stiff foam. Aim for about 150 ml finished milk with a thin layer (2–4 mm) of microfoam.
Polish milk
Tap the pitcher gently on the counter and swirl to integrate foam and liquid milk into a uniform, silky texture. Wipe and purge the steam wand after use.
Assemble & serve
Pouring technique: Hold the cup with the espresso at a slight angle. Start pouring the steamed milk from about 3–4 cm above the cup in a steady, thin stream to combine milk and espresso. As the cup fills and crema begins to rise, bring the pitcher spout close to the surface and finish with a slight wiggle or controlled motion if you wish to create simple latte art. The finished drink should be ~150–180 ml total, with a thin, velvety microfoam layer (2–4 mm) sitting atop the espresso — this is the signature Flat White.
Serve immediately while hot (optimal drinking temperature ~60–65°C).