Last week we looked at how to make the most delicious macchiato possible. You can read about where the name came from and how to make it here if you missed it. A number of you tried it at home and said you had great results and have a newfound love for this little flavors-packed beverage. Thanks for letting us know, your feedback means a lot. This week we move on to the big guy.

The double macchiato

It probably should be called the Big Mac, however someone else uses that name, hence the Double Mac is the most common way to talk about this beverage, and double, because it’s made from a double espresso shot. This could also spark discussion into what exactly is a Long Mac vs a Double Mac. But, unfortunately the specialty coffee standards for this beverage are not official and so there really is no official reference point. However, in our cafes, if someone asks for a Long Mac they will receive a delicious Double Mac, after clarification of course. Over the years we have seen various forms of the Double Mac, from a shot of espresso extracted into a latte glass three quarters full, to a single espresso in a demitasse cup topped to the brim with milk. It's all interpretation, and I guess thats what so special about coffee. It’s unique and personal. One thing that has been constant over the years is a Double Mac, in almost every cafe I ever worked, agreed on its preparation; a double shot of coffee, with equal parts coffee, equal parts milk. This is exactly how we make them at White Horse Coffee, equal parts espresso, equal parts perfectly textured milk. Unlike the Macchiato, or single shot Macchiato, the Double Mac is a lengthy drink and can be enjoyed over several sips, which is why it's also more popular than the single mac. You can enjoy it over several minutes and the flavour changes, as any good coffee, over time. We serve the Double Mac in the Italian demitasse cup.

This is how we make it

Serve in a demitasse cup. If you don’t own one, purchase here.

• Start with our standard brewing recipe of grinding and dosing 23g into your double portafilter basket. This will make one Double Mac. If you're making it for you and a friend, simply repeat all these steps.
• Place the Demi cup on a scale on your espresso machine. If you don’t have one we sell them here for $25.
• Extract the coffee into the cup and stop the extraction at around 20 - 25g. This should take about 18 seconds.
• If you can manage two tasks at once heat milk (65-70 degrees) in a small 300ml pitcher at the same time.
• Then, wait a moment, around 5 seconds for the milk to thicken, then pour the milk evenly in the center of the crema. It should naturally form a pretty central circle, which can be accentuated if you rest the jug on the side of the demitasse whilst pouring.

You can read about heating and texturing milk in our guide here. I really enjoy making Macchiatos, especially Double Macchiatos. They are such a hardcore hit of coffee, and I really enjoy serving them to people as these folk are usually passionate coffee nuts. Try it at home, or next time you're in one of our cafes or partner cafes, order one, sit back and savor it.

Get the gear

• In this article we mention weighing your coffee. We use a simple $25 scale that you can get here.
• We also mention demitasse cups, which you can get here
• And you can get other brewing gear here as well.