CORTADO VS LATTE

IN THIS POST

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks around the world, and people are always looking for new ways to try it. Let’s talk about the cortado vs latte.

We’ve all heard about a latte before, but what about cortados? We will cover the differences between these 2 drinks and why you should drink one or the other. If you’re not from Southern Europe you’ve might not have heard about the cortado.

After you’ve read this post, you’ll be able to make that great decision on what coffee you should try next.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CORTADO VS LATTE?

We will cover what they are exactly before we go deeper into the difference(s) between the cortado and the latte. From there we will zoom in on a few differences.

Because there’s more water involved, the ratio of espresso-to-water changes, the beverage is less strong, but still strong and comes in a higher quantity.

WHAT IS A CORTADO?

The cortado is a drink that’s said to originate from Spain. The word is derived from the Spanish verb “cortar” which stands for ” cut”. When making a cortado, the steamed milk is added to the espresso and it “cuts” through the acidity of the espresso.

It’s usually made from 2 double shots of espresso and an ounce or 2 of steamed milk. The process of adding steamed milk balances the strong taste of the espresso. It consists of equal parts of espresso and milk. Espresso-to-milk ratio: 1:1.

A cortado is a bit milder than the espresso macchiato. It’s known for a bold flavor and a nice balance of flavor and texture.

WHAT IS A LATTE?

Lattes were also created in Italy and are also espresso-based. In Italy, it’s called a cafè latte. A latte stands out because of its high amount of milk when compared to the amount of espresso.

A latte has steamed milk and a small bit of foam, microfoam on top. If you desire more caffeine, you should increase the shots. The espresso-to-milk ratio is about 1:4.

Lattes are known for their smooth and sweeter taste and strong espresso taste. As with any coffee drink, you add some personal touches, sweeteners like sugar, syrups, honey, cream, and so on.

Latte is known for the “latte art”, making nice signs, logos in the top layer of your coffee.

If you’re in search of something sweet and with a lot of milk, a latte might be your ideal pick. If you want something stronger, you can consider a cortado, espresso macchiato…

HOW TO MAKE A CORTADO?

What exactly is in a cortado and how can you make one at home? We will cover these in a simple list:

Choose your espresso grounds.

What espresso beans are going to select? You can choose for regular darker roasted coffee beans, but there are also specially farmed espresso beans just for our cause today! Espresso beans are usually darker and giving a more earthy taste to your coffee.

a pitcher

You’ll need a pitcher to add the steamed milk.

a glass (there are cortado glasses)

the regular transparent glass will do just fine. There are also cortado glasses available for the great fans among us.

milk

make sure you have selected your milk. The colder it is, the better. Pay attention to the expiry date as dairy products tend to lose their freshness more quickly.

The higher the fat percentage in your milk, the better the possibilities for frothing and increasing foam. For a cortado, you can use also cream or whole milk.

Measure your espresso grounds

grind your grounds finely
tamp your grounds in your portafilter. You’ll increase the extraction rate by doing so
place your filter in your espresso machine
start the water flow
pour your milk in the pitcher and steam it with the steam wand (first purge your steam wand from previous uses).
Here, we don’t need foam as with other espresso-based coffees like cappuccino.
Add the milk to the espresso in the glass
you can finish your cortado by adding extra sweeteners

We refer to this video from our colleagues at Roastycoffee.

HOW TO MAKE A LATTE?

A latte is more popular than a cortado. You can’t order a cortado in most regions of the world because it’s not that common. That’s not the same for a latte, that’s common good.

If you don’t know to make one, here goes:

measure your espresso grounds
grind your grounds finely. You’ll need about 5 times more milk than espresso. (1:4)
tamp your grounds in your portafilter. You’ll increase the extraction rate by doing so
place your filter in your espresso machine
start the water flow
pour your milk in the pitcher and steam it with the steam wand (first purge your steam wand from previous uses).
Add the milk to the espresso in the cup
you can finish your cup with some extra foam and other sweeteners, but we don’t advise to do so because it’s already a sweet drink because of the large volume of milk.

We refer also to this video from our colleagues from Howcast

CONCLUSION

Here you are, whatever you choose between cortado or a latte, one thing is certain: you’ll have your share of milk and espresso.

The main difference between these 2 espresso-based coffee drinks is that the cortado is smaller and has a lower percentage of milk when compared to its latte counterpart, that’s known for its larger percentage of milk. Lattes are mostly sold in greater sizes, especially by the great chains out there, like Starbucks.

Cortado vs latte? Hope you’ve made your choice by now! If not, try one of the other espresso-based drinks below.

F.A.Q.

WHICH IS STRONGER: A CORTADO OR A FLAT WHITE?

The cortado. The coffee-to-milk or espresso-to-milk ratio is about 1:1 and a Flat White is about 1:2. The smaller amount of milk in the cup makes the coffee is stronger.

IS A CORTADO A SINGLE OR A DOUBLE SHOT?

They usually consist of a double shot. If you’ll want a single shot, you’ll have to ask for it.

IS CORTADO A LATTE?

No. The amount of milk is smaller (1:1) than a latte (1:4). A cortado comes closer to a cappuccino than a latte. A cappuccino consists of equal parts of espresso, milk, and foam. A latte is more known in the world than a cortado.

IS A CORTADO STRONGER THAN ESPRESSO?

No. Think about it. A cortado is an espresso-based drink that has a coffee-to-milk ratio of 1:1. There’s a fair amount of milk in the cup, thus making the taste of the original espresso shot(s) less strong.

Enjoy your coffee!