This involves using an espresso machine to extract a ‘shot’ of coffee from finely ground, roasted coffee beans.
The coffee grounds are compressed in a portafilter and locked into the machine, and hot water is forced through the grounds at high pressure to produce a concentrated and flavourful shot of espresso.
The espresso can be consumed as is or used as a base for other coffee drinks such as lattes or cappuccinos.
Instructions
- Fill the espresso machine with filtered water and turn it on to heat up.
- While the machine is heating up, grind 18 grams of freshly roasted coffee beans to a fine consistency (similar to cocoa powder.
- Compress the coffee grounds in the portafilter using a tamp with an even and consistent pressure. The result should be smooth and level like a putting green.
- Lock the portafilter into the espresso machine.
- Once the machine has heated up, activate the pump and pull a shot of espresso into a cup.
- Aim for a shot that takes 25-30 seconds to pull and yields about 40 grams of liquid. This may take a couple of shots to ‘dial in’ with a new coffee.
- Once the shot is pulled, immediately dump the used coffee grounds and rinse the portafilter with hot water. Dry the portafilter with a cloth and lock it back into the machine.
Tips
- Use freshly roasted coffee beans for the best flavour.
- Experiment with different grind sizes to find your preferred taste.
- Use a scale for greater precision and consistency.
- Clean your espresso machine and portafilter regularly to ensure the best flavour from your coffee.
- If the espresso is too bitter, adjust the grind size coarser or use less coffee. If it is too sour or unpleasantly acidic, adjust the grind size finer or use more coffee.
- Espresso is the base for many popular coffee drinks, such as lattes and cappuccinos.
- Using coffee that is two to three weeks away from its roast date is ideal for espresso as it is less full of gasses that can be transferred to the cup.