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Magic coffee
Melbourne's double ristretto with steamed milk in a small cup
The magic is a Melbourne café insider's order, born in the city's Fitzroy and Collingwood coffee bars: a double ristretto (the short, intense first part of the espresso shot) topped with silky steamed milk in a 160 ml cup. It is stronger and sweeter-tasting than a flat white because there's less milk and only the richest part of the shot. A common mistake is scalding the milk; above about 65 °C it loses its natural sweetness. Chef's tip: stop the shot early, at about 30 ml for a double, to get that syrupy ristretto.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 1
Ingredients
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Warm a 160 ml cup with hot water. Dose ⅝ oz finely ground espresso coffee into the portafilter, level and tamp firmly.
1 minStep 2: Pull a double ristretto: stop the shot after about 15–18 seconds, when you have around 30 ml of thick, dark coffee.
1 minStep 3: Steam ¾ cup cold full-fat milk until the jug is hot to touch, about 60–149°F, with a thin, glossy layer of microfoam.
1 minStep 4: Tip the water out of the cup, add the ristretto and pour in the milk until the cup is just full, finishing with a thin layer of foam. Drink straight away.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does magic coffee take?
- About 5 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 3 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 1 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cold full-fat milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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