Do you appreciate strong aroma and hollow taste in coffee? Then make yourself a cup of espresso, and read how to do prepare espresso correctly in our article.
The fastest way to brew coffee was invented in Italy at the beginning of the last century, and was named accordingly – espresso. The sound of this word reflects both the speed and the cooking technology, but experts say that the exact translation means “done this minute and only for you”.
It is a mistake to think that “espresso” is just a very strong coffee. First of all, there is a clear ratio of ingredients: 7-9 grams of coffee powder per 30 ml of water. The cooking method is also different from the classic one. Because of this, many believe that only baristas know how to brew espresso. Initially, it was, but with the advent of household coffee machines, this drink has ceased to be the prerogative of bars and coffee houses. This article will show you how to make an espresso at home.
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How to choose and prepare coffee beans
In order for the drink to have the proper strength and aroma, we recommend choosing:
High quality varieties from trusted manufacturers;
only freshly roasted coffee;
High degree of doneness.
As for the composition, there is no general rule. You can buy ready-made espresso mixes or order an individual blend. Arabica and robusta for this drink go well at about a two to one ratio.
It is best to grind coffee beans shortly before preparing the espresso. This is a very important stage, since both the brewing time and the taste of the drink depend on the size of the grains. They will show how accurately the grind has been selected. Powder that is ground too fine (like flour) will produce a lean and sour espresso, while coarse grinding (like sugar) will produce bitterness. Truth in the middle: The right powder should feel like sand to the touch.
After grinding, nothing remains but to prepare espresso in the shortest possible time, because after a few minutes the bright aroma of the ground coffee begins to saturate. At home, this can be done in one of three ways.
How to make espresso in a coffee maker
The classic espresso is prepared in the espresso machine using a technology that has not changed since its invention. Before making an espresso in the coffee maker, be sure to squeeze the coffee powder. For this, it is poured into the holder to the level of the limiting mark and leveled. Then, with the help of slight pressure with tempera, a dense and even “tablet” is formed. If everything is done correctly, then when the holder is turned over, it does not fall out. Then, to carry out the extraction, a stream of boiling water is passed through the powder. The cooking time of one portion is 20-30 seconds and the dense foam of a red hue indicates that the process was carried out correctly.
How to make an espresso in an espresso machine
The concepts “espresso machine” and “coffee machine” are often confused or considered synonymous. However, in a coffee maker, making coffee requires most of the manual steps, with the exception of extraction. In the coffee machine, the entire process, starting with the grinding of coffee beans, is automated. Accordingly, the question “how to prepare espresso correctly” disappears. According to MyFriendsCoffee smart device is all at its best, you just need to select the appropriate mode. In this case, the most important thing is to set the grind level and portion size in the settings. The advent of electronically controlled household coffee machines has made life much easier for connoisseurs of authentic coffee drinks. Now, from the comfort of your home, you can both prepare a double espresso and pamper yourself and guests with a cappuccino or any other coffee with an authentic taste
However, there are some general guidelines to help you make a drink with divine taste and aroma.
Use only high-quality water, purified or bottled, as it affects the final result no less than coffee beans.
Before making an espresso in the coffee maker, warm it up a little, run hot water without coffee powder.
Assess the color of the foam. If it turns out to be too light, you need to take more coffee powder or grind it finer, and if it is very dark, then vice versa.
Take out the used “tablet” from the holder immediately after preparing the portion. Make sure the filters are clean before preparing an espresso in the coffee machine.