How to make a long mac topped up
Walk into almost any Perth café and you will hear someone order a long mac topped up. It is a double shot of espresso in a small glass, topped up with silky, lightly textured milk. You get the strength of a macchiato with some of the smoothness of a latte.
The quick recipe
For one glass (about 180ml):
- Espresso: a double shot, 18g in and 36g out
- Shot time: 25 to 30 seconds
- Milk: about 120ml of cold milk, steamed to 60 to 65°C
- Foam: thin, about 5mm
The long mac topped up calculator works out the milk for your strength and milk type.
Long mac, long mac topped up or latte?
- Long mac: a double shot in a glass with just a dollop of foam. Strong and short.
- Long mac topped up: the same double shot, with the glass filled up with silky milk. Strong but smooth.
- Latte: usually a bigger cup with more milk and a little more foam, so it is milder.
Step by step
- Warm the glass. Rinse it with hot water so the coffee stays hot.
- Pull a double shot. 18g of coffee in, about 36g out, in 25 to 30 seconds. Pull it straight into the glass.
- Steam the milk. Stretch it only a little, so the foam stays thin, like a flat white. Our milk steaming guide walks you through it.
- Top it up. Pour the milk into the centre of the shot, close to the surface, until the glass is nearly full.
How strong should it be?
| Strength | Recipe |
|---|---|
| Mild | Single shot, 138ml full cream |
| Balanced | Double shot, 122ml full cream |
| Strong | Triple shot, 107ml full cream |
Balanced is the classic Perth order. If your café makes them strong, go one up.
Good to know
- Glass, not cup. It is traditionally served in a small glass, so you can see the layers.
- Thin foam. Too much foam and it turns into a mini cappuccino.
- Plant milks work well. Use a barista oat or soy, and steam it a little cooler, to 55 to 60°C.