The breve coffee is not as well-known as other options such as latte or cappuccino. Nevertheless, many coffee lovers are sold on the drink as soon as they try it. But what is a breve coffee?
What Is a Breve Coffee?
The word Breve comes from the Italian for brief or short. That’s because this drink is exactly that: short and simple without any extra additives.
A breve is based on espresso, so it is classified as an espresso drink. The technique used to make the breve is the same as that of a cappuccino. However, the barista uses steamed half-and-half instead of milk.
By using steamed half-and-half, breve coffee has a really creamy foam on top. The flavor is quite decadent on its own, even though it does not contain any additional sugar.
Even though you now know what breve is, we are sure you have some additional questions about the breve latte (another name for the breve). So, let us explore some of the other essential information about the breve.
What Is The Difference Between A Latte And A Breve?
When you look at the recipe of this coffee, you might wonder what the difference is between this kind of coffee and a latte. Well, the difference actually lies between the type of milk or cream that is used for latte and breve respectively.
Most latte recipes are made with a whole milk, more specifically steamed milk. So, while a latte is made from steamed milk (whole milk), the breve is made from steamed half-and-half instead of milk.
What Is Half-And-Half?
So, let us explore half-and-half and the effect it has on your coffee recipe. Half-and-half is basically a mixture of 50% whole milk and 50% light cream. This combination has an influence on the fat content, which usually lies around 10 to 12%.
The combination of cream and milk can add more richness to a coffee, which is great for coffee lovers who like their coffee to make a statement. Fortunately, there are loads of recipes that use half-and-half these days.
How to make breve coffee at home
Making breve coffee at home is pretty easy. You just need an espresso machine and a steam wand.
What you’ll need:
- An espresso machine
- A steam wand
- Half and half
- Coffee
- A thermometer
How to do it
- Make sure your half and half milk is super cold. Don’t even leave it on the counter as you brew your coffee. Pour it into a steaming jug and leave it in the fridge until the last moment.
- Brew a shot of espresso using your espresso machine
- Start the steam wand and insert it into your milk jug about halfway down. Move it in a circular motion. You want to listen for a hissing sound, and observe the volume of the liquid getting bigger. You don’t want big bubbles.
- Use a thermometer to track the temperature – remove it from the wand once you reach 140 degrees F or 60 degrees C, as your target temperature will be reached on the counter.
- Use a spoon and pour the milk from the bottom of the jug into a mug. The spoon will hold the foam back.
- Put the foam as a dollop on top
- Very slowly pour in the espresso shot.
- Enjoy!
What Is A Breve At Starbucks?
When you ask for this coffee recipe at Starbucks, you basically get a Starbucks latte with half-and-half, this instead of your regular milk foam. Coffee shop recipes can vary though, so if you are unsure, be sure to ask the barista for more information.
Of course, Starbucks has tons of espresso recipes for your to try.
Note: A Frappe is also really interesting to try out.. In addition to selecting a drink based on a shot of espresso, you also have a huge range of milk choices. In fact, Starbucks offers you everything from 1% to 2% and soy milk. You can even get vanilla soy milk.
A Starbucks drink can also contain different syrups. The selection of syrup flavors is almost endless too; this includes vanilla, caramel, cinnamon dolce, hazelnut, toffee nut, peppermint, raspberry, classic, mocha, white mocha, tazo chai, and teavana oprah chai. These are just the regular flavors, which are also available in sugar-free versions.
Do not forget that there are a bunch of seasonal flavors for your coffees too. Some of the seasonal flavors include pumpkin spice, caramel brulee, gingerbread, sugar-free peppermint, peach, and blackberry.
Try The Breve Yourself
If you are a coffee lover, we can certainly recommend trying this coffee yourself. While the differences between the cappuccino and the breve is only steamed half-and-half, this can make a huge difference where flavor and texture is concerned. So, if you never had a breve before, be sure to try one!
Those who do not make their coffee at home, be sure to check out the various flavors at Starbucks too. Or even if you do make your own coffee recipes, be sure to check some of the variable recipes Starbucks offers.
Starbucks can be especially useful when you just start out in the coffee culture, as there are many different things to learn and to try. There is a bunch of information online to guide you too, so you can explore all the different recipes, flavors and textures.
