Macchiato Recipe
Make Macchiato Recipe in just 7m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Espresso
Milk
Extras & Tools
Method
Espresso
Preheat and grind
Preheat the portafilter and cup by rinsing briefly with hot water. Grind 18 g of espresso beans to a fine espresso grind (similar to table salt).
Dose and tamp
Dose the 18 g of ground coffee into the portafilter basket. Distribute evenly and tamp with 15–20 kg of pressure until the puck is level and smooth.
Pull the shot
Brew a straight espresso shot of about 40 ml into the warmed demitasse cup. Aim for a 25–30 second extraction; adjust grind finer/coarser if extraction is too fast/slow. If using a stovetop maker (moka), produce a concentrated espresso-like brew and measure ~40 ml.
If you like your macchiato sweetened, add 1 tsp sugar to the hot espresso and stir until dissolved.
Milk
Chill and pour
Pour 60 ml whole milk into a small, cold metal frothing pitcher. Use the optional extra 20 ml if you want slightly more foam or a taller mark on the espresso.
Steam and texture
Purge the steam wand, then submerge the tip just below the milk surface. Turn on the steam to introduce a short burst of air (1–2 seconds) to create silky microfoam, then submerge wand deeper and heat milk until the pitcher edge feels about 60–65°C (140–149°F). Total steaming should take ~15–25 seconds. Aim for a velvety texture with fine bubbles, not stiff foam.
Alternative (no steam wand)
If you don't have a steam wand, heat 60 ml milk to about 60–65°C on the stove or microwave (do not boil), then vigorously whisk, shake in a sealed jar, or use a handheld milk frother to create a small amount of microfoam.
Wipe and purge
Wipe the steam wand with a clean cloth and briefly purge to clear milk from the tip.
Assemble & Serve
Hold the demitasse cup with the pulled espresso. Using a spoon to control flow, spoon a small dollop (about 10–20 ml worth of textured milk and foam) of the steamed milk onto the center of the espresso to 'mark' (macchiare) the coffee. The goal is a small milk spot/mark on top of the espresso rather than a full latte.