Flat White Recipe

Preheat & dose

Preheat your portafilter and cup by rinsing them briefly with hot water. Dose 18 g of freshly ground espresso into a clean, dry double basket and distribute evenly.

Tamp & lock in

Tamp the grounds with a level, firm pressure to create an even puck, then wipe the rim of the portafilter and lock it into the group head.

Extract espresso

Start extraction immediately. Aim for 36 ml of espresso (a 1:2 ratio) in about 25–30 seconds. Adjust grind if extraction is too fast or slow. Set the cup aside and keep warm.

Prepare milk

Pour 150 ml of cold whole milk into a chilled milk pitcher. If desired, pour an extra 20 ml into the pitcher for steam wand calibration and purge the wand before steaming.

Purge & position steam wand

Purge the steam wand briefly to remove condensation. Position the wand tip just below the milk surface at a slight angle near the side of the pitcher so it creates a whirlpool when steaming.

Stretch for microfoam

Turn on the steam and lower the pitcher slightly so the wand tip is just at the surface for 2–4 seconds — you should hear a gentle 'paper tearing' sound to introduce small air and create fine microfoam. Then raise the pitcher so the wand tip is submerged and continue steaming to expand and heat the milk.

Heat to temperature

Continue steaming until the milk reaches 60–65°C (140–149°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, stop when the pitcher becomes too hot to hold for more than a couple of seconds (~20–25 seconds of steaming after texturing). The milk should be velvety with tiny, glossy microfoam and a smooth whirlpool.

Polish milk

Tap the pitcher gently on the counter to remove any large bubbles and swirl to integrate foam into a silky texture. Knock any larger bubbles down with a spoon if needed. The volume increase should be modest—dense, silky milk rather than thick foam.

Pour

Hold the cup with the espresso at a slight angle. Begin pouring the milk from about 6–8 cm (2.5–3 in) above the cup to sink the liquid milk beneath the crema. As the cup fills and you see the milk begin to integrate with the crema, lower the pitcher to about 2–3 cm and pour more steadily to allow the microfoam to rise to the surface. Finish with a small controlled wiggle or straight pull to form a simple latte-art heart or circle if desired.

Serve

Serve immediately. A traditional flat white is served in a small cup (150–180 ml) and should have a balance of strong espresso and silky milk with a thin layer (roughly 3–5 mm) of microfoam on top.