What is a flat white?
Invented in Sydney or Auckland in the 1980s (both cities still argue), the flat white is a double ristretto shot topped with silky microfoam in a 150–180 ml cup. Less milk than a latte, denser microfoam than a cappuccino — the espresso flavor leads, supported by velvety milk.
You'll need
- Espresso machine with steam wand
- Milk pitcher (350 ml)
- 5–6 oz / 150–180 ml tulip cup
- Cold whole milk
- 18 g fresh Seelaz espresso — Shop espresso roasts
Step by step
Pull a double ristretto
Use a double basket but stop the shot early at 27–30 g yield (instead of 36 g). Ristretto means restricted — syrupy, sweet, intense.
Fill smaller volume
You need less milk than a latte. Fill cold milk to halfway up the pitcher. Texture quality matters more than volume.
Minimal stretch, mostly spin
Only 1–2 seconds of audible air intake. The flat white needs glossy microfoam, not visible bubbles. Spend most time spinning the milk underwater.
Stop at 60 °C
Slightly cooler than a latte. The Antipodean tradition prizes a temperature you can drink immediately without scalding the tongue.
Pour close, flat surface
Pour from low and close to the espresso surface. Aim for a flat, smooth white surface with a paper-thin foam layer. Small leaf or heart art works.
Pro tips
- Flat white = espresso-forward latte. If you can't taste the espresso, you have a latte.
- Volume is everything: a flat white in a 350 ml cup is just a latte with less foam.
- Some baristas pull a regular double shot instead of ristretto — less sweet, more acid.
Best coffee for flat whites:
Shop espresso roastsالخلاصة بالعربي
الفلات وايت ريستريتو مع حليب مبخر ناعم جدا في كوب صغير. رغوة رفيعة ولامعة تترك الإسبريسو يتصدر المشهد. اختراع أسترالي-نيوزيلندي.
