Bone dry cappuccino? You’ve heard it and now curious to know what it is before ordering one for yourself.
Bone dry cappuccino is an espresso drink with a light & foamy head but without steamed milk.
This article discusses the intricacies of the bone dry cappuccino, what slight alterations of it become and a recipe on how to make it at home.
What is a Bone Dry Cappuccino?
Bone dry cappuccino is like a cappuccino except there is no steamed milk.
Foam milk replaces the ratio of steamed milk. Therefore, it’s a ratio of 1/3 espresso to 2/3 foam.
What is a Bone Dry Cappuccino?
To understand what it is, let’s break it down.
Espresso is the popular Italian drink that we all know and love. When you add equal parts frothed & steamed milk to the espresso then you got yourself a cappuccino.
To take it a step further, if you apply slight variations to the ratios you have a different drink. Think of it like a martini that is asked for it shaken or stirred. The different variations in the preparation change the drink.
The classic cappuccino has foam on top and frothed milk sits on top of the espresso shot. However, with the bone dry, there is no milk. The frothed milk is lightly layered on top of the espresso shot. There are no additives, like sugar or artificial flavors.
As a result, it is far more bitter than the standard cap. It is typically served in a smaller cup than a traditional cap, but it depends on the cafe.
How To Make A Bone Dry Cappuccino At Home
You don’t need a professional grade espresso machine to make a bone dry cappuccino at home.
To make your own you will need:
Coffee – Choose a medium-roasted coffee that you prefer most. The flavor is not going to be altered with sugar or milk. Therefore, you’re going to want the best beans you can get.
Machine – If you have an espresso machine then you’re going to save time and get an accurate drink. If you don’t, you can substitute strong coffee made with an aeropress, moka pot, or a French Press.
If none of these are available, brew very strong coffee in a traditional coffee maker.
Steam Pitcher – At least a 12 oz stainless steel pitcher. It needs to be large enough to contain the foam that is required.
Milk – Fat-free milk is best and 2% is good too. It’s difficult to get a good layer of foam with anything else. Especially if you don’t have the right equipment.
Whipped cream or other toppings – Although you can add a variety of tastes, bear in mind that this drink primarily consists of coffee.
Technically it’s not a bone dry if you add variations.
Froth & Foam Semantics
We understand the froth & foam is used interchangeably. Simply put, it’s the same thing; bubbles in liquid. However, froth is more commonly used as a verb. Furthermore, think of foam as the thicker layer of bubbles. Whereas froth is micro bubbles with a more velvety texture.
Bone Dry Cappuccino Recipe
- Preheat up your drink cup with hot water
- Fill up your pitcher. Keep in mind that the milk will expand approximately double in volume, so you want to leave room & not have to pour out milk that needs to be foamed.
- Froth the milk
- Now that you have your foam, let it sit. Literally, let it sit and don’t mess with it. We want the delicate foam bubbles to toughen up a bit.
- Make espresso.
- Spoon in the foam on top of the espresso. Since no steamed milk is added you want ⅔ of the drink to be foam.
To be transparent, it’s not an easy drink to make due to the amount of foam needed. If you’re starting out you may want to use a thermometer to understand when you’ve reached 140F on the milk.
What type of milk is important as well. Fat-free and 2% milk is easier to get foam than full fat milk.
Dry Cappuccino vs Bone Dry Cappuccino
The main difference between a bone dry cappuccino and a dry cappuccino is the amount of steamed milk.
A dry cappuccino has less steamed milk than a traditional cappuccino.
A bone dry cappuccino has no steamed milk. Hence the name “bone dry”.
Which one should you order?
If you prefer espressos, but want foam then go for a bone dry cappuccino. If you prefer a more balanced flavor and a little more steamed milk in your cappuccino, you may prefer a dry cappuccino.
Bone Dry Cappuccino vs Macchiato
A macchiato has much less foam than a bone dry cappuccino. A bone dry cappuccino uses a ⅔ ratio of foam to espresso. Much more foam is added to a bone dry than a macchiato.
Macchiato Discrepancies
Marchio means mark, spotted or stained in Italian. When the drink was invented the baristas marked the shot of espresso with a dollop of foam spooned-in on top; to mark the drink.
The macchiato has since evolved and there are variations that can be classified as “Traditional” or “Italian”. Then there is a newer variation with an ounce of steamed milk poured in.
Due to these variations typically a barista will ask for more clarification to make sure everyone is on the right page. Of course, you specify in the app too.
Final Thoughts on Bone Dry Cappuccino
All things considered, the bone dry cappuccino is geared toward those that appreciate the taste of espresso.
If you’re trying to boost your caffeine intake, but reduce your sugar intake, the bone dry cappuccino is a great choice.
