Restaurants›morridge oats + coffee›Piccolo Recipe

Piccolo Recipe

Inspired by morridge oats + coffee

Time7m

Serves1

Make Piccolo 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

5/8 oz (18 g) freshly roasted whole coffee beans (espresso roast)2.71 tbsp (40 ml) water for espresso

Milk

1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk (cold)2.03 tsp (10 ml) milk foam (optional, for serving)

Equipment (not consumed)

1 to taste espresso machine and portafilter1 to taste coffee grinder (burr)1 to taste milk pitcher (150–200 ml)1 to taste thermometer (optional)1 to taste 6–90 ml piccolo glass or demitasse (preferably 100 ml)

Method

Espresso

Dose and grind

Weigh 18 g of freshly roasted coffee beans. Grind to a fine setting appropriate for your espresso machine (aim for a texture slightly finer than table salt).

Tamp and brew

Distribute the ground coffee evenly in the portafilter, tamp with 15–20 kg of pressure to create a flat, even puck. Lock the portafilter into the machine and brew a ristretto/short espresso aiming for 30–40 ml of liquid in 20–30 seconds. Target extraction: 18 g in → ~40 ml out, 20–30 s. Adjust grind if extraction is too fast or slow.

Set the extracted espresso aside in the piccolo glass or leave in the shot glass while you steam milk so it stays hot.

Milk

Prepare milk

Pour 120 ml of cold whole milk into a chilled 150–200 ml milk pitcher. The ratio for a piccolo is roughly 1 part espresso to 2–3 parts milk by volume; this amount yields a balanced piccolo.

Steam

Purge the steam wand briefly, then position it just below the milk surface and turn on to introduce microfoam for 2–4 seconds (stretching), then lower wand deeper to heat the milk to 55–60°C (130–140°F). Aim for silky, glossy microfoam with very small bubbles. Total steaming time ~20–30 seconds. If you don't have a thermometer, heat until the pitcher is too hot to touch for more than a couple of seconds.

Tap and swirl

Gently tap the pitcher on the counter and swirl the milk to remove any large bubbles and integrate foam with liquid milk. The milk should be velvety and pourable, with a thin layer of microfoam on top.

If you prefer a little extra foam for presentation, hold back about 10 ml of the best foam to spoon on top after pouring.

Assembly & Serving

Hold the piccolo glass with the espresso at a slight angle. Begin pouring the steamed milk from about 3–4 cm above the glass to incorporate milk and espresso smoothly. As the glass fills, bring the pitcher closer and pour a steady, slow stream to create a thin layer of crema-like milk on top. Aim to fill the glass so the milk just reaches the rim, leaving a small cap of microfoam (about 5–10 ml) on top.

Optionally spoon the reserved 10 ml of foam on top for a small cap or create simple latte art if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

Taste and adjust: piccolo should be stronger than a latte but creamier than a cortado. If the espresso tastes too bitter or weak, adjust grind, dose, or extraction time on future attempts; if milk overwhelms the coffee, reduce milk volume slightly.