You know what a latte is, right? And there’s a good chance you’ve heard of a breve but what exactly is the difference? The breve, which goes by breve latte or caffè breve is similar to the latte but with a few key differences.
Today let’s discuss the breve vs latte drinks so you can know exactly what each of them are and how they’re different from one another!
Let’s start with the breve.
What is a Breve Coffee?
Breve goes by a few names. Breve Latte, latte breve, caffè breve, or sometimes just Breve. The consistent factors are what this classic coffee drink is made of. A Breve is made from espresso and steamed half & half.
The name Breve is derived from the Italian word “brevi”, which means “short”. Breves are traditionally ordered in smaller amounts like you’d see at higher end coffee shops and cappuccinos (8oz).
The use of half & half instead of 2% or whole milk makes the drink much more rich and creamy. The extra creamy foam means that you can taste more of the espresso than you would in a ‘wet’ and ‘heavy’ latte.
Merging the accentuated espresso taste with the rich and creamy-ness of the half & half makes for a much more decadent coffee drink. You can think of a Breve more like dark chocolate and lattes more like milk chocolate (in terms of richness).
What is a latte?
A latte is one of the most simple of of espresso drinks and one of the most popular ones around!
At its core, a latte is a single or double shot of espresso and steamed milk (typically 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk). It also has a layer of foam on top (unlike the flat white) where you’ll often find latte art.
A latte is the perfect drink for those who love the taste of espresso but want it toned down just a tad. You’ll still get the flavor of the espresso shot but it won’t be quite as strong as a straight shot of espresso.
Lattes can be customized in a ton of different ways. It can be served as an iced coffee or can be flavored with any type of flavor shots.
A latte is also often called a caffe latte or cafe au lait.
Differences Between Breve vs Latte
Milk
The distinct difference between a caffè breve espresso drink and a regular latte are the kind of milk. A Breve is made with steamed half and half (or half regular milk and half heavy cream) while lattes are made using steamed milk.
Appearance
The appearance of the two drinks are also different! The breve coffee drink has much more foam than the latte due to the half and half. There’s a distinct layer between the foam and the coffee on a breve, similar to a cappuccino.
The latte has a much smaller layer of foam.
Taste
The latte has a much more milky, mild flavor since it has more milk mixed with the espresso. The breve, on the other hand, is more creamy due to the half and half. There’s also less half and half mixed in the with the espresso in a breve.
One thing that is similar is the caffeine content because you are using the same amount of espresso.
How to Make Caffè Breve at Home
The best way to make caffè breve is with an espresso machine with a steam wand. If you don’t have an espresso maker, you could also use a moka pot or french press to make your drink.
You can get close to the effect with a milk frother as well. Frothers tend to be more obtainable for the average home barista and much easier to maintain.
Breves are typically (this varies from cafe to cafe and from preference to preference) created with a 1 to 1 ratio of half & half and espresso. The half & half is steamed and aerated to increase its volume but the amount added before steaming is about the same as your espresso shot(s).
1. Prepare your Espresso and Half & Half
Set aside the half & half that you will use for steaming or frothing. Also get ready to pull shots of espresso as you normally would with your home set up.
As to not let our shots ‘die’ we’ll want to time the pulling of the shot with the ending of our heating/steaming/frothing of the half & half.
2. Steam or Froth the Half & Half
If steaming, you need to aerate for longer. For a Breve, you’ll want to aerate for 6 – 9 seconds. But, this totally depends on your machine. Play around with it, as you would, to find out what you like the best.
If you are using a frother, you’ll notice that the frother is a little bit different with half & half than it is with your standard milk. It just won’t froth as easily.
This just means that you’ll need to froth it longer to get close to the desired effect. You should be able to achieve this with some time.
3: Pull Your Shots and Combine to Make
Now it’s time to pull your shot(s). There is no difference between the two drinks here as a good espresso shot is a good espresso shot.
- Once pulled, you combine the steamed half & half with the espresso just like you would a latte. With the extra aeration there’s not going to be hardly any chance for you to do latte art. But that’s okay, you after a particular feel and taste with this drink.
How to Make Caffè Latte at Home
Let’s chat how to make a latte! Similar to the caffè breve, ideally you will need to use a traditional espresso machine with a steam wand to make a latte. If you don’t have an espresso maker, you could also use a moka pot or french press.
You can get close to the effect with a milk frother as well. Frothers tend to be more obtainable for the average home barista and much easier to maintain.
A latte consists of 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk with a thin layer of foam on top. In most lattes, this consists of 2 ounces of espresso with 4-6 ounces of milk.
Here’s how to make caffè latte at home:
1. Prepare your Espresso and Milk
Set aside the milk (I recommend whole milk) that you will use for steaming or frothing. Also get ready to pull shots of espresso as you normally would with your home set up.
As to not let our shots ‘die’ we’ll want to time the pulling of the shot with the ending of our heating/steaming/frothing of the milk.
2. Steam or Froth Your Milk
With a latte on most machines, you’d aerate for 2 to 4 seconds. For the best latte, use whole milk. For one with less calories, use skim or 1% milk.
If you have an espresso machine use that to steam your cold milk. Otherwise use a milk frother or heat it on the stove to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
3: Pull Your Shots and Combine
Now pull your shot(s).
- Once pulled, you combine the steamed milk with the espresso just like you would a breve. Add a thin layer of the microfoam on top or attempt to make latte art!
So there you have it! Now you know the difference between a breve vs a latte! I hope this helps clear up any confusion you may have had about these two coffee drinks.
FAQ
Is a breve or latte healthier?
The latte is healthier than the breve. The breve has more calories and a higher fat content due to the half and half.
What does breve mean at Starbucks?
If you see a “B” in the milk square of your Starbucks cup, it simply means your drink was made using half and half. It doesn’t necessarily mean your drink is a breve, just that the coffee drink was made using half and half.
Want more coffee fun? Check out one of these coffee posts!
