There are absolutely essential coffee recipes that you will come across in all coffee shops. Between the Mocha, the Latte or even, a little less known, the Flat White…. and of course, the Cappuccino!
Few people really know the difference between all these drinks. It is true that very often, few things separate them.
That's why knowing them will also help you know exactly what you want to order in your favorite coffee shop.
I'm taking you with me to travel to Italy , but not only! Let's discover the Cappuccino.
The origins of cappuccino
Without question, the most famous coffee recipe is that of Cappuccino.
But do you know where Cappuccino comes from?
Italians love to drink their Cappuccino in the morning, but the cappuccino may not have been invented by the Italians!
We must go back to an event in history, the siege of Vienna in Austria by the Turks in 1683. The Ottoman Empire, or Turkish Empire, lifted the siege following its defeat and gave free rein to the looting of its camp by Austrians and Poles. The latter seized many riches… and bags of coffee .
From this follows two versions of this story .
First possible origin of our famous drink
To begin with, the first story is that of the Capuchin monk (literally “who wears a hood”, branch of a Catholic religious order) called Marco D'Aviano.
Marc D'Aviano observes the Turks during the siege and will not have failed to notice that the Turks extract a drink from these coffee beans... he tries it and, obviously, the bitterness of the coffee is not too much for his taste.
He then decides to add milk… that's better! We then hold the ancestor of the Cappuccino: the Viennese coffee. (whose recipe has evolved today).
The cappuccino was therefore called Viennese coffee for a long time, in France in particular, before each of these recipes separated to have its own identity.
The REAL cappuccino evolved with the arrival of espresso machines with frothers (this spout used to froth milk) and the democratization of fridges in the 1950s, which made it possible to use fresh milk.
Second version of the story
The second version of the story attributes the invention (or the premises I should say) of the cappuccino to a Pole who learned to prepare coffee during his slavery with the Turks.
The seat lifted and his freedom regained, he opens an establishment in which he serves coffee lengthened with cream.
He gives the name Kapuziner to his preparation, inspired by a Capuchin convent near his coffee shop. This name is then adapted from German to Italian by Cappuccino.
Composition of Cappuccino
You will find different compositions by browsing the internet, as well as from one coffee shop to another it is obvious that each Cappuccino will be different.
All the charm is there! Discover the small specificities and know-how of each barista that can make each tasting unique .
What can affect the taste of Cappuccino?
- The talent of the Barista
- The quality of espresso extraction, so the adjustment of the grinder and your grind, your espresso machine, the extraction time...
- The quality of the coffee itself, a fresh coffee or not, the roasting time, the harvest...
- Green coffee storage conditions
- Milk, semi-skimmed or whole, fresh or not fresh…
And it goes on and on! The perfect Cappuccino is therefore like everything that is perfect: it is a fantasy and should only become an obsession for our pleasure!
Here is the perfect cappuccino
1/3 milk
froth 1/3 hot milk
and 1/3 espresso
Cappuccino can be said to be lighter than a Latte because it is in fact largely made up of milk froth. This peculiarity makes the drink a real challenge for a beginner, both in obtaining a perfect milk froth and in making Latte Art .
Finally, the cup traditionally has a capacity between 25 and 30cl.
Cappuccino recipe with an espresso machine
- pre-heat your espresso cup by placing it on the machine or by pouring hot water into it.
- Brew 25ml of coffee in your cup (25 second extraction!)
- You froth your fresh, whole milk at around 60-65°C with a milk pitcher. If you can't touch the bottom of your milk pitcher by hand (put your hand under the pitcher), then the milk is at the right temperature!
- You can pour your milk froth in the center and if possible leave a trace of coffee on the edges so that the first sip has a real coffee taste!
- If you are greedy , no need to wait to make a mocaccino! You can already use a sprinkler to put chocolate or cinnamon on top.
Here is the video demonstration of the recipe to follow, by a coffee star in France, Charlotte Malaval. (note that you don't have to draw at all for your first cappuccinos, don't worry)
If you ever speak English, here is a slightly more detailed video and, incidentally, the most watched video on YouTube for making a Cappuccino! (3 Million views for a cappuccino all the same)
Make a homemade Cappuccino (without an espresso machine)
Of course it is possible! This will really be your homemade cappuccino.
You can then replace the shot of espresso with another form of extraction. You should know, however, that the crema of the espresso plays a central role in the aesthetics of the drink.
Depending on the extraction you choose (filter, french press, aeropress…) your coffee will have a different taste and texture. It will never be a real cappuccino.
But it does not matter ! Nothing prevents you from trying, what you absolutely need is an instrument to froth your milk . Many choices :
An electric and nomadic milk frother, easy to use.
Nomadic milk frother
If you can afford it and want a more sophisticated frother with more control, here's a model for you.
You can also find a simpler, manual milk frother like below.
