How to Make A Delightful Cup of Espresso

When it comes to making Espresso, each and every professional coffee maker, such as Barista, will have their personal secret recipe. In this article I will show my recipe on how to make a delightful cup of Espresso.

The first most important ingredient of Espresso is water. In espresso you can only use fresh hot water. The water should ideally be around 203F (95C) that is nearly boiling. Water often becomes stale due to the presence of mildew, pure cleaning methods and inadequate filtering. If you use stale water then no matter how good the quality of the coffee bean, it will not be able to overcome the association of poor water.

The next ingredient is coffee. While making Espresso you should choose Arabica. It doesn't matter whether it has been grown in Brazil or Bogotá or elsewhere. The bean should have been grown above 915m and should be delivered all fresh for roasting. You can either elf roast it or but it a few days after but your coffee should essentially have the 'fresh food' smell in it.

You can also use Robusta beans as they are easier to grow and more disease resistant. However, this bean has more caffeine and fewer flavors so it is best used for those quick pick-me-up drinks and not for Espresso.

After that you have to finely ground the beans in a burr. Do not use the blade attachment of the blender as the blade often chops the beans and does not grind them. In the burr attachment the beans are ground between two pyramids shaped teeth on two plates. Ideally, your ground coffee should be like the dark Viennese or French. This name often refers to color of the ground coffee and not to where it's grown.

The distance between the two plates often determines the fineness of the granules. The ground coffee should be sand grain sized. It should not be too finely ground or should not be like the shape of small gravel. You should also remember to not to leave the coffee exposed to air, mainly because just like other foods, coffee also oxidizes and absorbs odors from the air. This may often ruin your perfect cup of Espresso coffee.

Since you know the basic ingredients, you can proceed to the next stage of Espresso making.

The first thing that you should do is pre-warm the equipment. All you have to do is turn the espresso maker on, run it through good water and let it heat. When the water is warm enough, you can run a cup through without any coffee in it. This will help to warm the equipment and flush out any particles present in it.

Now, you have to add your ground roast. Just as in tobacco, remember to pack it down slightly. You should feel some springiness that you often feel in pipes. You should be careful as to not let the coffee scatter.

After this you firmly place a hopper inside the machine and a warmed cup of espresso at the outlet of the machine. After you start the machine you should have the perfect thin steady stream of coffee in about five seconds. A double shot would require around twenty seconds.

If you want to make cappuccino then you should warm half cup of organic milk in a microwave for about 90 seconds. Then you should froth it and add it to your Espresso. You can also add different garnishing like cinnamon, chocolate or nutmeg. If you like your coffee sweet then you can add a little bit of organic sugar.

In the end, if you want a great cup of Espresso all you have to do is keep the whole process simple and straight. You should always remember to keep your equipment clean and to start with good quality ingredients.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/693151

Types of Espresso Makers and Espresso Machines

The espresso maker or machine is a popular small appliance choice for coffee aficionados who enjoy a variety of coffee drinks. Owning one makes it possible to have coffee, latte, cappuccino, and a variety of coffee based drinks that are difficult to make with a simple coffee maker.

Deciding on what type of espresso machine to purchase requires understanding the different kinds available on the market. Models range from fully automatic machines to stovetop espresso makers. In all there are 8 different types of makers and possibly more that aren't publicized.

Most people are going to choose the semi-automatic or automatic maker. The semi-automatic espresso machine uses a pump to force the water through the maker and create the espresso while the fully automatic maker to control the water flowing through the machine to make the espresso.

Fully automatic makers have many other automatic features such as automatic dosers, bean grinders, temperature controls, and even receptacles where the used coffee grinds are placed until the owner empties them.

The earliest espresso makers and ones that can still be found in homes in many European countries are the stovetop makers. These are three tiered pots thee one pot hold the coffee, one pot holds the water and one is a filter basket. Heat forces the water to through the bottom chamber and to the middle pot and up to the top where the espresso finally comes to rest.

Steam espresso makers are extensions of the stovetop maker and create an espresso that is very similar to what the stovetop maker creates. This espresso maker led to the piston-driven espresso maker which is responsible for the delectable crema that makes an espresso the drink it is known for in the coffee world. In the piston driven machine manual force is required to run the machine.

The motor-driven pump espresso machine was the technological advancement of the piston driven maker. This espresso make led the way to the modern espresso makers of today that are semi-automatic and automatic. There are espresso loyalists who believe that it takes manual force or a piston driven maker to create a quality espresso; however, the majority of machines in use today are some form of automatic.

The progression of the espresso machine has gone through many stages. From the rudimentary stovetop maker to the fully automatic espresso version that is found in homes and coffee shops around the world. No matter what type of espresso maker is used the end result is a rich, dark cup of espresso perfect for drinking or making a creamy latte.

Espresso Makers Buying Guide

If you're looking to buy a new espresso machine for your home, there are a few important considerations you should make in locating the best home espresso maker.

The first thing you should realize is that statements like the "best home espresso maker" are entirely subjective. What may be the best espresso machine for one person may be the totally wrong choice for another person. It all comes down to personal preference and affordability.

How much time do you want to spend making espresso?

Are you purchasing your first machine or are you upgrading an old one?

What is your budget?

These questions are all directly relevant to what machine you choose to buy.

For most people, the act of making espresso for home consumption should not be a difficult or stressful process. People usually like a certain degree of control over what they are making, but they don't want to micro-manage temperature and pressure fluctuations and potentially botch their shot of espresso.

That's why most people opt to buy automatic or semi-automatic espresso machines. But before delving into specifics, lets look at the four types of espresso machines so you can better assess what would be the best home espresso maker for you:

• Manual Machines. The most complicated machine to use. The operator uses a lever to apply pressure to the hot water and send it through the coffee.
• Semi Automatic Machines. Contain an automated pump and temperature systems. Operator uses a switch (rather than a lever) to engage and disengage the pump.
• Automatic Machines. Same as semi-automatic machines except the machine decides how much water volume to pass through the espresso.
• Super Automatic Machines. Almost completely hands off. Espresso machine grinds, tamps, and pumps espresso for you.

The further down the list you go, the less control the operator has and the more expensive the machine is (with the exception of manual machines, which are generally more expensive). Deciding on the best home espresso maker means deciding how involved you want to be in the espresso making process and how much you want to spend.

My preference is for semi-automatic machines because the machine takes care of all the technical details, while still allowing me enough control over how much water I want to pass through my espresso (if I want to make a short shot, a long shot, etc.). Automatic machines take care of this for you, but you have less choice in your espresso shot. I've also found them to be a little bit more expensive.

If you decide that an automatic or semi automatic espresso machine is right for you, than you have to decide whether you want to purchase a steam-driven machine or a pump driven one. In my opinion, a pump driven machine is the best home espresso maker. Let me tell you why.

A steam powered espresso maker is one where water is forced through the coffee using steam or steam pressure. The very first espresso machines were made from steam. However, steam driven machines are no longer considered adequate to make a proper shot of espresso. This is because steam powered machines simply cannot apply enough pressure to the hot water to generate a good tasting shot. Instead, the shots come out rather weak, being only slightly stronger than drip coffee.

If you're serious about espresso, I would recommend avoiding steam-powered machines and instead opt to buy a pump-driven espresso maker. They are a few bucks more, but definitely worth it in the end.

A pump espresso maker uses a motor-driven pump to force hot water through the coffee for brewing. The pressure generated by the pump is usually 12-18 bars, which is the range you want to be in to produce the best tasting espresso. The higher pressure allows for a more full bodied espresso shot to be produced. If you are looking for the best home espresso maker, I would recommend a pump driven machine because they generate the best tasting espresso.

In the end, you have a number of consideration to make in determining the best home espresso maker for your lifestyle. It's a matter of balancing your personal preferences with your intended budget.

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