Why Caffè Misto should be your new favourite

Who doesn’t love a good Caffè Misto? I know I do. It’s the perfect drink to start your day off right. But what exactly is a Caffè Misto? It’s a cracking coffee drink that perfectly balances coffee with milk and it’s easy to make. Keep reading to find out.

What is Caffè Misto? 

A Caffè Misto is a coffee drink that is made with equal parts of brewed coffee and steamed or frothed milk. It is a popular choice for coffee lovers who want a little bit of both worlds – the rich flavour of coffee paired with the creamy texture of milk. And because it contains drip coffee it costs less than any other espresso-based brews including latte and cappuccino.

Is Caffè Misto and Latte the same? 

Caffè Misto and Latte are both delicious coffees, but if you’re wondering if Caffè Misto is different to latte the differences are explained in layman’s terms. 

The Look 

You can see three different layers in a well-brewed latte: coffee a bit dark, milk on top of it and a layer of foam. But in a Caffè Misto you can’t distinguish layers. It’s just one colour, darker than a latte but lighter than an espresso. 

Process

The process isn’t the same and in fact, different ingredients are used to make each. The biggest difference is that espresso is used for latte while brewed coffee is used for Caffè Misto.

Heating the milk

When it comes to heating the milk, make both with any kind of milk including oat, cow’s or almond, but keep in mind that if you aim to make a velvety layer of foam for latte, full fat milk is the best option to go. 

Another difference regarding the milk is the ratio of it to coffee.

As already mentioned the milk is equal to coffee for a Caffè Misto

But for latte the ratio the regular combo is 1/3 espresso and the rest (2/3) is milk and a layer of foam.

The Taste

Because in a latte two thirds is milk, inevitably the latte is sweeter than a Caffè Misto in which only 50% is milk. But it also depends on how you take each, if you add sugar to your Caffè Misto it’s going to be sweeter.

Caffeine

Let’s take a look at how much caffeine a cup (250 ml) of Caffè Misto and latte contain:

• Caffè Misto contains 85 – 110 mg
• Latte has 68mg 

You kind of expect Caffè Misto to have more caffeine as half of the cup is coffee while only 1/3 is coffee. But the caffeine content depends on how to brew your coffee. For example, here’s how much caffeine is per 8 oz cup by using different coffee devices or gadgets:

• drip coffee contains 165mg
• a French Press 80-135 
• and pour-over 175 mg 

Calories

It depends a lot on the type of milk you use to make it. Let’s glance below (12 oz):

• Latte cup with full-fat milk: 168 cals
• Latte cup with 1% milk: 144 cals
• Caffè Misto with full-fat milk: 100 cals
• Caffè Misto with 1% milk: 60 cals

As the table shows Caffè Misto is lower in calories than latte that is made with the same type of milk. 

Should you go for a Caffè Misto rather than a latte? 

It’s up to you really, if you’re conscious about your diet and want to fit in the pants you bought last year, Caffè Misto is the better option. But if caffeine keeps you rolling in bed wrestling with your pillow suffering from insomnia, it’s better to go for a latte; it contains less caffeine than its counterpart.

Is Caffè Misto and Café au lait the same? 

To put it simply…

…a Caffè Misto is just a fancy name for a Café au lait. Both drinks are made with brewed coffee and heated milk, but the key difference is in the milk proportions. While a Caffè Misto has equal parts of both, cafés in France make Café au lait with more milk than coffee. 

So, if you’re looking for a stronger coffee flavour, go for a Caffè Misto. If you prefer your coffee on the sweeter side, then a Café au lait is probably more up your alley. 

Another difference is the heating process is different: Café au lait milk is steamed while Caffè Misto is frothed.

But one thing that these two coffees have in common is that they stain your clothes and furniture.

Is Caffè Misto and cappuccino the same? 

The short answer is: NO. Although the ingredients for both coffees are the same (coffee and milk) they are different; espresso is used for cappuccino whereas as already mentioned Caffè Misto contains dripped coffee. So cappuccino has a more intense flavour of coffee.

When it comes to milk coffee ratio, cappuccino is 1:1:1 ratio (milk, coffee foam). So it’s coffee with 3 layers while Caffè Misto has only two.

Do you know the right ratio for cappuccino? What about the ratio for americano?

How to Make your own Caffè Misto at Home

Luckily, you won’t need pricey coffee gear to brew a banging cup of Caffè Misto. In fact, the only two items you’ll need are: 

• a coffee maker or French Press (see here how to use a coffee maker)
• and a frother

When I make mine I prefer it strong and use about 2 tablespoons (about 28 grams) of coffee per water cup, but you can go for 1 or 1.5 tablespoons if you aren’t partial to overly caffeinated brews.  

Once done with your brewing, move on to frothing your milk for about 10 seconds, it will soon have a fluffy layer of foam on top.

Now let the milk rest for about half a minute and go ahead with pouring the milk and saving the foam for last adding to the top. (If you don’t have a French press you can brew coffee without any gadgets.)

What other ingredients go well in a cup of Caffè Misto

To garnish your delicious brew, sprinkle dark cocoa powder or cinnamon – both go so well with Caffè Misto. You can even make whipped cream and add it as a top layer to your brew.

What Does Caffè Misto Taste like?

The resulting drink is creamy and slightly sweet, with a rich coffee flavour. Many people find that Caffè Misto is the perfect balance between coffee and milk, and it is a great way to get a morning caffeine fix. But the exact taste of Caffè Misto will vary depending on the coffee beans and milk used.

How many calories are in a cup of Caffè Misto? 

As mentioned it depends a lot on the milk you use to brew your Caffè Misto.

Let’s take a look at a few different common milk types: 

• Caffè Misto cup with full-fat milk: 100 cals
• Caffè Misto cup with 1% milk: 60 cals
• Caffè Misto cup with almond milk: 40 cals
• Caffè Misto cup  with oat milk: 114 cals
• Caffè Misto cup with coconut milk: 60 cals, (check the Starbucks list of coconut drinks).

What is Caffè Misto at Starbucks

Caffè Misto at Starbucks is a real treat, a combo of freshly-made coffee and steamed milk creating a distinctly decadent brew every Starbucks fan should give a shot. (Grande size calories: 110).

Does Caffè Misto contain sugar?

However, the amount of sugar in Caffè Misto is relatively low. In fact, a grande Caffè Misto from Starbucks contains just 10 grams of sugar. That’s about 4 teaspoons of sugar, which isn’t bad considering that a can of Coke has over 39 grams of sugar. 

What’s the origin of Caffè Misto? 

Several sources claim that China is where our favourite milk and coffee concoction originated. The first recorded attempt at the concoction is attributed to Johan Nieuhof, the Dutch envoy to China, perhaps around 1660. 

Although the origins of the term “Café au lait”—commonly known as “Caffè Misto” by Starbucks—are unclear, it is thought that the term may have originated in France in the 17th century. 

It originally involved mixing brewed coffee with hot milk, but over time, modifications have somewhat changed the beverage

Let’s wrap it up

All the reasons why Caffè Misto is addictive. If you haven’t tried this coffee drink yet, we highly recommend that you do. It’s a great way to start your day or to enjoy an afternoon pick-me-up. Have you tried iced americano at Starbucks?

FAQ about Caffè Misto

In this section all your burning questions about Caffè Misto are answered in detail. Read on.

Caffè Misto pronunciation

Good question this, the word comes from Italian originally. Here’s a video that shows you how to pronounce Caffè Misto, next time you want to order one and get it right.

How much caffeine does a cup of Caffè Misto contain? 

Check the sections above, it explains in detail how much caffeine Caffè Misto contains.

Are Café au lait and Caffè Misto popular in the United States? 

Café au lait is a coffee drink that originated in France and has become popular in the United States in recent years, and it’s often served in coffee shops and cafes. Many people enjoy it because it’s a tasty way to enjoy both coffee and milk. Likewise Caffè Misto is also winning over American coffee lovers as it’s simple to make at home while many coffee shops in an attempt to add new coffees to attract new customers have introduced it to their menu. 

Is a cup of Caffè Misto too sweet? 

It depends on your personal preference. If you compare it with other coffees including cappuccino or latte it isn’t too sweet as only 50% of it is milk which always makes your coffee sweeter. 

What if I want to replace cow’s milk with a different type?

Of course you can replace full-fat milk with any type of milk you like and see if it tastes better for you. I go over the calories each type of milk has with Caffè Misto.