Espresso

Ingredients

• 18 grams espresso coffee beans – freshly roasted (7–21 days from roast) and suitable for espresso
• 2 ounces filtered water – cool or room temperature, for brewing

Instructions

1. Fill the espresso machine water reservoir with filtered water according to the machine’s capacity, ensuring at least 2 ounces are available for brewing.
2. Turn on the espresso machine and allow it to fully heat up until the ready indicator shows the brew temperature is reached, usually 10–20 minutes for home machines.
3. Just before brewing, grind the espresso coffee beans to a fine grind, slightly finer than table salt, aiming for 18 grams of ground coffee for a double shot.
4. Place the portafilter on a scale, tare it to zero, then grind 18 grams of coffee directly into the portafilter basket, distributing the grounds evenly.
5. Gently tap or shake the portafilter to level the coffee bed, then use your fingers or a distribution tool to even out the surface without compressing excessively.
6. Using a tamper that fits the basket, press straight down with firm, even pressure until the coffee bed feels solid and level, then gently polish the surface with a slight twist to smooth it.
7. Wipe any loose grounds from the rim and ears of the portafilter so it can lock cleanly into the machine’s group head without leaks.
8. Run a brief water flush through the group head for 1–2 seconds to clear any old coffee and stabilize the brew temperature, then immediately lock the loaded portafilter into place.
9. Place a pre-warmed espresso cup or small glass on the scale under the portafilter spouts and tare the scale to zero to measure the yield.
10. Start the extraction and simultaneously start a timer, watching the stream change from dark and thick to a more golden color with a steady flow.
11. Allow the espresso to extract until you reach about 2 ounces of liquid, including crema, in 25–30 seconds, adjusting slightly for your machine as needed for a balanced taste.
12. Stop the shot when the time and volume are reached or when the stream turns very pale and thin, indicating the extraction is complete and further brewing would over-extract.
13. Serve the espresso immediately in the pre-warmed cup, without letting it sit, so the crema remains intact and the flavors stay concentrated.
14. Knock out the used coffee puck from the portafilter into a knock box, rinse the basket and group head with water, and dry the portafilter so the machine is ready for the next shot.