Espresso Macchiato Recipe

Preheat and dose

Preheat the espresso portafilter and cup by running a blank shot or rinsing with hot water. Dose 18 g of freshly ground espresso into the portafilter and distribute evenly.

Tamp

Tamp the coffee with a level, firm pressure (about 20 kg of force) to create an even puck. Wipe the rim of the portafilter to remove loose grounds.

Pull shot

Insert the portafilter and start extraction. Aim for a 25–30 second extraction yielding about 40 ml of espresso (a single ristretto/short single). Watch for a thick crema on top. Stop extraction once volume/time is reached.

Prepare milk

Pour 30 ml whole milk into a small stainless-steel frothing pitcher (or a milk steaming jug). Chill milk beforehand if possible — colder milk froths better.

Steam to microfoam

Purge the steam wand briefly. Position the tip just below the milk surface and introduce air for 1–2 seconds to create small, velvety microbubbles. Then submerge the tip slightly and continue steaming until milk reaches 55–60°C (130–140°F). Aim for very small, dense microfoam rather than large bubbly foam. Tap the pitcher on the counter and swirl to integrate foam and liquid.

Alternative without espresso machine

If you don’t have a steam wand, heat 30–40 ml milk to about 55–60°C on the stovetop (do not boil) then froth vigorously with a milk frother, French press (pump 20–30 times), or shake in a sealed jar until small bubbles form. Let the foam settle to dense microfoam.

Spoon foam

Using a small spoon, remove a thin dollop (about 1–2 teaspoons) of dense foam from the pitcher. The milk liquid should remain mostly in the pitcher — macchiato requires only a ‘stain’ or ‘mark’ of foam atop the espresso.

Pour the freshly pulled espresso into a preheated demitasse cup (about 60–90 ml capacity). If you like your macchiato slightly sweeter, add up to 1 tsp sugar or simple syrup now and stir gently to dissolve.

Using the spoon, place the small dollop of milk foam directly onto the center of the espresso to 'mark' it — the foam should sit as a white spot on the crema. Avoid pouring large amounts of milk; the traditional espresso macchiato features only a small amount of foam.

Optionally dust the foam with a tiny pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of cocoa powder or finely grated chocolate for visual contrast and aroma.

Serve immediately with a small spoon. The ideal serving is a single espresso macchiato for one person.