A quick guide to making your own espresso at home(1)

When making Espresso, boiling water is passed under high pressure through a tightly compressed coffee powder. Due to its pressurised brewing process, it is more dense than other brewing methods, which results in a more intense flavour per unit volume.

Making great tasting espresso at home can be a challenge. You need a few things, including an espresso machine, grinder, good quality coffee beans and the right recipe.

This is how to make the perfect cup of coffee at home.

Choose the right coffee beans.

The key to espresso is the right coffee beans. Poorly roasted coffee beans will result in a bad espresso. You want to choose a dark roast coffee that has been roasted within the last two weeks. The fresher, the better.

Grind the coffee beans.

Before brewing, grind the coffee beans to a fine powder using a good quality burr grinder. The grind should be fine, but not too fine. If the grind is too fine, it will be difficult for the water to flow through the coffee and your coffee will have a bitter taste. If the grind is too coarse, the water will flow too quickly and your coffee will be weak.

Brewing.

Now it's time to brew.

For an espresso, you will need 7 grams of coffee (about a tablespoon). If using an espresso machine, follow the manufacturer's instructions for brewing a cup of coffee. If using an espresso machine on the cooker, add water to the lower chamber up to the pressure release valve. Then, add your ground coffee to the filter basket. Screw on the upper chamber, place the pot on the cooker and heat it over medium heat.

Once the water has come to a boil, reduce the heat to low and allow the espresso to brew for 4-5 minutes.

Remove.

Once the brew is complete, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for a minute to allow the pressure to release. Slowly press down on the plunger until it is fully engaged. Pour your espresso into a cup and enjoy.

Clean up.

It is very important to clean your espresso machine after each use. Otherwise, the build-up of coffee oils and residues will make your coffee taste bitter. Consult your machine's manual for specific cleaning instructions.