Espresso
As with many famous coffee recipes, the espresso was invented in Italy, around 100 years ago, and is credited to a man by the name of Luigi Bezzera, from Milan. He was the first to use a steam-pressure method of brewing coffee, which produced a strong cup of coffee faster than ever before.
Result
A deep, concentrated, intense coffee. Also great with milk
Good for
Making coffee shop style drinks in the home. For the serious investor
How to make it.
Remove the portafilter from the group head – twist from right to left until it dislodges.
Flush the grouphead for two to three seconds.
Empty the portafilter (if it isn’t already empty) and make sure there isn’t any leftover residue or moisture.
Measure up your coffee: use scales for exact results.
Pop the coffee in the portafilter, level it out with a light shake or a dosing tool.
Tamp the coffee: use a hand tamper to firmly compress the grounds and level them out. This will force out any air pockets and create a longer extraction process.
Clean the rim of the portafilter and spouts, and purge the grouphead.
Lock the portafilter into the grouphead by twisting it from left to right, and select the cup.
As soon as the portafilter is in, start the water flow. You have three to five seconds to put the cup under the spouts.
Keep an eye on the extraction time of your espresso – this will vary according to taste.
When your espresso’s poured, stop the water flow (if your machine is not automatic).
What you'll need.
A good quality espresso machine and portafilter
Measuring scales
Freshly ground coffee
Tamp
Good quality espresso grinder (optional, but highly recommended)
Recipe
Coffee Dose: 17-19g
Brew Water: 28-36g/ml
Water Temp: 91-96˚C
Overall Brew Time: 22-32sec
Grind Size: Very Fine – like powder
Top Tip
Keep your machine and all its components clean. It’ll keep your espresso crisp and unblemished.