Espresso vs Latte: Difference and Comparison

In today’s world, coffee has become an important drink for the morning routine. For many people, the morning starts with a coffee. Most people are familiar with the traditional milk-based latte from a coffee shop.

Espresso and latte are one of the most favourite coffees among people. They don’t realise that a latte may be made using coffee creamer.

Key Takeaways

1. Espresso is a concentrated coffee that forces hot water through finely-ground coffee beans under high pressure.
2. A latte is a coffee beverage combining espresso with steamed milk and a small layer of foam.
3. Both drinks contain espresso, but a latte has a milder flavor and creamier texture due to the addition of steamed milk and foam.

Espresso vs Latte

Espresso is a type of coffee made by forcing hot water through finely ground, compacted coffee beans using a specialized machine, and it has a rich, bold flavour and a creamy layer of foam on top. A latte is a coffee beverage made by combining espresso with steamed milk and a small layer of foam on top.

Espresso is a powerful coffee drink with a shot size of about one ounce. It’s prepared by passing heated air through finely-ground coffee that’s been packed (tamped).

Espresso’s trademark rich, concentrated flavours are produced by a mix of high pressure, scorching temperatures, and fine grind size. There are three pieces to an espresso shot. The crema is indeed the foamy light-coloured head on top.

The body seems to be the darker bottom, the heart is significantly lighter in the middle, and the heart is lighter in the middle.

Lattes are espresso-based coffee drinks served with steamed milk. A small coating of foam forms on top of a latte thanks to the heated milk.

The powerful espresso flavour is combined with condensed milk to produce a mellower, creamy texture version of the bold espresso flavour. 1/3 espresso to 2/3 heated milk, with such a layer of froth on top, is the standard latte ratio.

Lattes are available in sizes ranging from 8 – 20 ounces.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Espresso	Latte
Concentration	It has consisted of rich concentrated coffee	It is a mixture of steamed milk and espresso
Cream	There is no added milk cream	Milk foam is on the top of the coffee
Flavor	It is strong coffee	Latte is smooth and creamy in flavor
Standard drink	It’s 2 to 3 ouns small drink	It’s 8-20 ouns large drink
Usage	Instant energizing due to more caffeine.	It’s more of a chill drink.

What is Espresso?

Espresso is created by forcing hot water through such a “puck” containing firmly packed, extremely fine grounds under elevated heat. This technique uses around a shot’s worth of very strong coffee and takes between 25 and 30 seconds.

You can learn about some variants of this fundamental technique here, including tinkering with the pull time and drink amount.

However, we’ve come to discuss the differences between an espresso shot and a cappuccino. The primary distinction would be that the espresso shot ends here (except for possibly a little sugar).

A cappuccino, on the other hand, requires a few extra stages involving heated and frothed milk.

Espresso, like other espresso-based drinks, goes back to the early 1900s in Italy. Espresso cafes spawned a whole social phenomenon, with espresso cafes continuing to exist in Italy nowadays.

The drink and its varieties expanded to other regions of the world fifty years later.

Making the ideal coffee is now a science and an art. With good cause, it’s the drink at the focus of a lot of rather sophisticated coffee conversations. An excellent espresso will offer you a delightfully unique, robust flavour that’s difficult to top if done correctly.

Espresso is thicker and stronger than normal coffee in the United States.

It offers higher caffeine in each unit however, owing to the smaller portion sizes, you are going to experience a similar kick from an espresso shot as you might through one cup of coffee.

What is Latte?

A latte is a speciality coffee beverage made with espresso, hot milk, and frothy milk. The word “latte” comes from the Italian expression “Caffe e latte,” which translates to “coffee and milk” in English.

This kind of coffee is common in the United States, with latte versions accounting for most of its over 400 m coffee consumed daily.

Coffee creamer is a milk-based substance that is substituted for milk in coffee to change the flavour. The creamer may be liquid or powder. Sweetened condensed milk and milk or cream are combined to make coffee creamers.

Spices and other flavours, such as almonds, vanilla, and chocolate, are added to them.

A coffee creamer latte is produced by substituting cream for milk, and the method is rather simple. You make it the same way you make a regular latte, rather than milk, you use creamer.

There are only a few items needed to prepare a coffee creamer latte. Making this coffee is easier than making a conventional milk latte. Here’s everything you’ll need: Coffee creamer and espresso. Fill a jar halfway with freshly brewed espresso.

Add your liquid or powder coffee creamer to the espresso and mix until completely dissolved. Enjoy your latte with coffee creamer.

Main Differences Between Espresso and Latte

1. Espresso is a concentrated coffee, whereas Latte is a mixture of steamed milk and espresso.
2. Espresso doesn’t have added milk cream, whereas the latte has a milk foam on the top of the coffee.
3. Espresso is a strong coffee, making it a good morning routine coffee because it is full of caffeine, whereas Latte is smooth and creamy, making it a good option for a chill mood drink.
4. Espresso is a small drink with a quantity varying from 2-3 ouns, whereas the Latte is a large drink that has a quantity of 8-20 ouns.
5. Espresso doesn’t have many variations, whereas latte has many variations.

References

1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.5367/ijei.2015.0193?journalCode=ieia
2. https://ifst.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijfs.12485

Last Updated : 23 June, 2023