Espresso Vs Latte Vs Cappuccino: What’s the Difference?

Oct 27, 2022

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A day without coffee is something which cannot be imagined by most of us. You can have your coffee as per your taste, which has such wide varieties. This article explains the three most popular varieties of coffee and their differences.

Espresso Vs Latte Vs Cappuccino: What’s the difference? Is this the same questions which run through your mind? People tend to get confused with the varieties of coffee and are uncertain about what they want. In that case, this article gives you insights into coffee and takes you through the three most popular varieties of coffee: Espresso, Latte and Cappuccino.

What is Espresso?

An espresso is a hot beverage and comes under the variety of coffee. It is a coffee type and the brewing method. It is used as the base to create various other varieties of coffee. It is brewed at high pressure by pouring hot water on the finely grounded premium coffee powder. Here are the factors which differentiate espresso from other forms and answer to Espresso Vs Latte Vs Cappuccino: What’s the Difference?

Origin: In the early twentieth century, espresso was invented in Venice, Italy. Angelo Moriondo invented the first Italian coffee machine in 1884, a steam-driven coffee and beverage-making machine. Later, Luigi Bezzera, a businessman experimenting with coffee, developed its version.
Taste and texture: Espresso tastes very similar to coffee and has a slightly bitter taste. It is a very strong concentration, and thus it is drunk in a shot glass. It loses its texture when it is diluted using water or milk. A well-brewed espresso has two layers, more liquidy at the bottom, and the top layer, named crema, a froth-like texture, which is CO2, contains oils and water from the coffee grounds.
Roast and grind: Arabica coffee bean and Robusta coffee bean are used to make an espresso. Arabica coffee bean is the one which is used in majorly. Both tend to extract a rich crema. It is usually dark-roasted but sometimes lighter according to personal preferences. Grinding is the key to making espresso. It must have a very fine grind to get a silky textured brew. When it is not coarse properly, the brew gets watery or uneven.

Time to make: It depends on the espresso machine. If it is preheated well, then it is ready to go. The perfect brewing time would be 20 to 30 seconds; the basic thing is to have very hot boiling water. The time may vary depending on the grind too.

Calories: The espresso is served in shot measurement—the single shot, which is 1 ounce approx. 30 ml contains three calories and doubles when it is two shots. The calorie count differs depending on the drinking method, like with or without milk or diluting it with water.

How to make Espresso at home?

Grind ½ cup dark roast coffee beans to a medium-fine grind.
Add the medium fine-ground espresso coffee to the French press.
Heat the water hot but not boiling (200 to 205°F) and wait 4 minutes.

Hot and freshly brewed espresso will be ready to be served at home.

Did you know: Coffee is the world’s second most-traded product after oil.

What is Latte?

A latte, also known as a caffè latte, is made with one or two shots of espresso and steamed milk, and it has a thin coating of frothed milk. It is a milk coffee with a smooth coating of froth at the top. It is a balanced blend of milky coffee with an aesthetically attractive appearance and a smooth texture. Here are the factors which differentiate latte from other forms and answer to Espresso Vs Latte Vs Cappuccino: What’s the Difference?

Origin: Though it is named caffè latte, it is an American invention, not an Italian one. Lino Meiorin was the one who invented the latte in 1950. He invented this by pouring a generous amount of milk when a customer says his Italian cappuccino is too strong.
Taste and texture: The latte has a very creamy texture as it is made with mink and froth. It is not bitter compared to espresso, as it contains milk.
Roast and grind: Latte is made, keeping espresso brew as its base and adding milk. Medium or dark roast is the best roasting method for a rich latte.
Time to make: As espresso is the base brew for the latte, it takes the same duration to get the brew ready. But it takes time to make it as a latte by adding frothy milk.
Calories: A sixteen ounces of latte has got 190 calories. It also differs when any extras have been added, like chocolate, or when it is made with full cream.

How to make Latte at home?

Grind ½ cup dark roast coffee beans to a medium-fine grind.
Add the medium fine-ground espresso coffee to the French press.
Heat the water hot but not boiling (200 to 205°F) and wait 4 minutes.

These are the steps to get the brew. Once you have the brew ready,

Heat the milk, and then create the foam using an electric beater or a hand whisk.
Slowly pour the hot milk with the foam into the brew.

The frothy latte is ready to be served at home.

Did you know: February 11 is National Latte Day, celebrated throughout the country.

What is Cappuccino?

The cappuccino is the espresso blended with frothed milk, and as it is similar to the color of the Capuchin robe, the cappuccino drink was called after the Capuchin friars. Here are the factors which differentiate cappuccino from other forms and answer to Espresso Vs Latte Vs Cappuccino: What’s the Difference?

Origin: We all know cappuccino has an Italian origin. But cappuccino is derived from the coffee beverage “Kapuziner,” which originally appeared in Viennese coffee establishments in the 1700s. Adding milk to coffee was also recognised and advocated in Europe in the 17th century. Its name is derived from Capuchin friars and refers to the color of their clothes.
Taste and texture: Cappuccino naturally has a strong coffee flavor and some sweetness from the milk.
Roast and grind: Dark roast is the best for a cappuccino. The espresso blend is the cappuccino’s base brew, so the same texture applies here.
Time to make: It takes the same time as making a latte, as the espresso is the base brew for a cappuccino. Only the milk proportion differs.
Calories: A cup of cappuccino has 80 calories. It has fewer calories when compared with a latte because it has only a small portion of milk and a more frothy layer.

How to make Cappuccino at home?

Grind ½ cup dark roast coffee beans to a medium-fine grind.
Add the medium fine-ground espresso coffee to the French press.
Heat the water hot but not boiling (200 to 205°F) and wait 4 minutes.

These are the steps to get the brew. Once you have the brew ready

Heat the milk, and then create the foam using an electric beater or a hand whisk.
Slowly pour the hot milk with the foam into the brew.

Here, the milk proportion differs as only a small amount of milk is added to the cappuccino compared to a latte.

Did you know: Cappuccino and biscotti are one of the finest combos to try.