The piccolo latte coffee is becoming an increasingly popular coffee drink—and is the little brother to the ever-popular latte, which is made from espresso, steamed milk, and a dash of foam. The word piccolo in Italian means small, and the word latte in Italian means milk. In Italy, started to gain popularity in Europe during the 1990s and was served in a small cup. Nowadays, it is often served in a small glass.
How is a Piccolo Coffee Made?
The difference between the two drinks is that the Piccolo latte has about half the amount of espresso as a regular latte but has double the amount of foam. It is based on a ristretto shot of coffee which is an extraction of espresso producing 15-20 mls of liquid. This is added to a 100 mls of steamed milk to produce a piccolo latte.The ratio between foam, espresso and steamed milk is important in determining whether the drink comes out looking like a Piccolo latte and producing its smooth, full-bodied taste.
The popularity of Piccolo latte coffee can be attributed to the fact that for those who drink a lot of coffee throughout the day, a large, milky drink may be too much. The Piccolo latte allows us to get our coffee hit but without filling us up.
How Many Calories in a Piccolo Latte?
This mini version of the latte has only around 68 calories with full cream milk, or 35 if you go for skimmed. It is the perfect option for those who don’t want the additional milk and calories of a full latte but who still want to enjoy the great taste of coffee.
How Many Calories in a Piccolo Coffee with Almond Milk?
Almond milk is a popular alternative to dairy milk, but it turns out there’s no reason to switch from regular milk to almond milk, at least from a calorie perspective. A piccolo latte with unsweetened vanilla almond milk has about 35 calories, the same as with skimmed milk.
Fascinating Fact: A cup of black coffee has only one calorie
How to Make a Piccolo Coffee at Home
Using a Regular Espresso Machine
A piccolo is a small cup of drip brewed coffee. The perfect piccolo has a fragrant, complex, and balanced flavour with no unpleasant surprises. The best part about brewing a cup at home is you can change the variables to create your own unique piccolo that perfectly fits you and your taste. This guide goes through everything you need to make a fantastic piccolo.
Piccolo coffee is a strong espresso shot with a small amount of frothed milk. Learn this recipe and become a piccolo coffee expert!
Let’s start with the espresso. You will need an espresso machine for this, preferably with a built-in steam wand so you don’t have to use an external one. Espresso won’t make much sense without froth, so if you don’t have a steam wand, it’s better to find another job for your coffee maker. The best results are achieved when using a fresh, dark-roasted coffee with caramel, hazelnut or chocolate notes, rather than a fruity coffee. With a bold and flavourful type of coffee you will get the best results in terms of taste and caffeine. Make an espresso shot of between 20-30 mls.
The next step is to steam your milk. You do this by allowing just enough air into the milk, which forms a microfoam. This microfoam will create a layer at the top of your piccolo. If you do not get enough air into the milk, however, you will end up with a thin layer of foam that does not add as much to the visual appeal of your drink. So, for the perfect Piccolo coffee how many oz of milk should you use? We recommend between 40-60 mls of steamed milk for the best result.
Finally, at an angle and with a little height, pour your steamed milk onto the espresso to mix the two nicely and finish with a small layer of foam on the top.
Using a Piccolo Coffee Pod Machine
Of course, instead of making your piccolo latte by hand you can always invest in a capsule coffee machine that can prepare a decent brew for you without the fuss. These machines are simple to operate—just pop in a coffee capsule, press a button and your coffee is ready within seconds. Each brand uses different styles of capsules and operate slightly differently but you will find no shortage of videos online on how to use piccolo coffee machines of all makes, including the Espressotoria®, Dolce Gusto® and more.
Discover More
If you’ve enjoyed finding out about the piccolo latte, take a look around other parts of our site for more insights about the fascinating world of coffee.
