How to make the perfect espresso

Espresso is a small shot of coffee made by forcing pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee and a metal filter. The brew is covered in a layer of golden or hazel-coloured foam called crema. Espresso is a drink on its own and the base for other coffee drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes. As a coffee-making method, it is unique in its dependence on modern machinery invented in 1901 in Italy.

Skill level:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things you need

• Coffee (green or roast depending on choice)
• Water filter
• Coffee grinder
• Saucepan with lid
• Stove
• Paper towel
• Espresso coffee machine
• Purified water
• Measuring spoon
• Coffee cup and saucer

1. 1
   Decide on your type of coffee. The most common coffee bean is the Arabica variety, which has a more subtle taste and less caffeine than the Robusta bean.
2. 2
   Filter water for the coffee machine. Pour the filtered water into the espresso machine and close the top.
3. 3
   Roast the coffee beans. Use a non-stick saucepan and dry roast the green coffee beans over a medium heat until they turn brown and are covered in oil. Take away from the heat when you hear the beans crack and smell the coffee aroma. This should take about 10 minutes. Cover the pan if you want a stronger roast as the beans continue to heat in the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and place the beans on a paper towel to absorb the oil. If you buy roast beans, ensure that they are freshly roasted or roasted at most three weeks earlier.
4. 4
   Grind the beans in a burr grinder. If buying roast beans, ask the shopkeeper to grind them. Ensure that the grind is like fine sugar but not a powder.
5. 5
   Place a cup underneath the nozzle of the machine. Switch on the machine and heat it up for about six minutes with the empty filter holder inserted and allow one cycle of heated water into the cup. Discard the water.
6. 6
   Pack the ground coffee into the machine and tamper, compact, it down. Tamping down is the most important technique to learn for espresso making. Use one measuring spoonful of coffee, about 1/4 ounce, per shot, two spoonfuls for a double and three for a treble.
7. 7
   Place the cup under the nozzle and draw the shot. It should take on average 20 seconds but can vary according to the machine. Some machines take between 15 and 20 seconds and others can take between 20 and 25 seconds.

Tips and warnings

• Ensure you use a genuine espresso machine. It must produce water at a pressure of nine bar, or 135 pounds per square inch (psi).
• Ensure that the basket is clean, and rinse the filter between each coffee brew.
• Grind the coffee beans slightly finer if little crema is produced.
• Remember that the perfect espresso does not depend on the variety of coffee bean or the depth of the roast. These are a matter of personal taste.
• Serve immediately. Espresso quickly goes stale and bitter.
• Avoid standard domestic blade grinders. These are not the best for espresso coffee grinding as they create dust that clogs the machinery.