Volume of espresso in a coffee machine. Coffee as a science: the perfect espresso with your own hands. What is espresso coffee
It's hard to imagine a morning without a cup of hot and aromatic coffee. Espresso coffee can easily be called one of the most popular and favorite drinks.
In a coffee maker or coffee machine, its preparation takes just a few minutes. It will take a little longer to brew espresso in a Turk.
But this wonderful drink is worth spending a little time on.
Espresso coffee: what is it and how to prepare it
The history of this drink began at the beginning of the century before last. Espresso is of Italian origin. It was in Italy that the first espresso coffee machine was invented.
This is quite a complex process. Hot water is passed through a special filter with freshly ground coffee under high pressure (8-9 atmospheres).
It is very important to observe the proportions and cooking time. The result is a strong, aromatic drink with a bright and rich taste.
It is best to prepare espresso in a special coffee machine., and the coffee beans should be well roasted. They need to be ground finely, preferably in a manual coffee grinder, so that you can control the fineness of the grinding.
A distinctive feature of this drink is small dense foam of a light brown hue.
The taste of properly brewed espresso combines pleasant coffee bitterness, slight sweetness and slight sourness.
How to spell: expresso or espresso
Translation from Italian states that the term espresso means "pressure" or "pressed".
There is a version that the name of the drink comes from the French word “express” - fast.
Both meanings are partly correct. Initially, the drink was called “express” for its speed of preparation.
But in Italian pronunciation this word was transformed into “espresso”. This name is considered the only correct one.
In our other article, we managed to figure out what type of coffee is in the Russian language, how it is written: “glace” or “glase”, where to put the emphasis in the word “latte” - all this depends on.
Coffee drinks based on it: types and features
In addition to classic espresso, there are many very tasty and original drinks prepared on its basis. The most popular are:
- macchiato;
- double espresso;
- cappuccino;
- lungo;
- con panna;
- Romano;
- latte;
- ristretto;
- Americano (read how Americano differs from espresso);
- Fredo;
- coretto;
- in English;
- latte macchiato;
- latte fredo;
- espresso with mojito;
- diorzo.
All these coffee drinks differ not only in taste, but also in the method of preparation and the ingredients used. Some of them are best prepared only in a coffee machine, while others are best prepared in a Turkish coffee machine.
To brew real espresso, it is very important to follow all the secrets and subtleties of preparation.
Homemade recipes
Espresso is enjoyed all over the world, but it is especially popular in Italy and Portugal.
Both espresso itself and drinks based on it can not only be ordered in a cafe or restaurant, but also brewed at home.
So, classic espresso is easy to prepare in three ways: in a coffee machine, coffee maker and Turk.
Classic espresso in Turk
The best way is to prepare espresso in a special coffee machine or coffee maker. However, not every person has such expensive devices at home.
In this case, you can try brewing invigorating and strong espresso in a Turk. To do this, you will need a copper pot, 10 grams of very finely ground natural coffee, a pinch of coarse salt and 30 ml of cold water.
Ground coffee is poured into a Turk, filled with cold, clean water and placed on low heat. As soon as the coffee foam begins to rise, remove the Turk from the heat and add salt.
When the foam has settled, the coffee is put back on the fire.. And so several times in a row. Do not let the drink boil. This will ruin the wonderful taste of the aromatic espresso.
True coffee lovers say that You need to drink espresso without sugar. We wrote about how to properly brew delicious Turkish coffee at home.
In the coffee machine
It is advisable to use only coffee beans for the coffee machine, which begins to be ground immediately before cooking.
A very fine grind is not suitable, but a coarse grind is not suitable for espresso. The grains must be ground very carefully.
You will also need a special device - a holder, with the help of which dense tablets are formed from coffee. The holder is installed in the coffee machine and the process of brewing the drink begins.
If the stream of the resulting coffee is light and wide, then the coffee was not ground fine enough. If the stream is thin and dark, then the grind is too fine. Average, the entire cooking process takes about 20 seconds.
You can check whether the drink is brewed correctly by the appearance of the foam: if it is dense golden-red, real espresso coffee is ready.
Recipe for making espresso with caramel syrup in the VITEK VT-1504 BW coffee maker:
Double espresso (doppio, double)
Classic espresso is usually served in small porcelain cups with a volume of 40-50 grams.
Double espresso is prepared in the same way, but about 100 ml of water is added. This amount of liquid equals a double portion of ground coffee. This drink is double strength, bitterness and unforgettable aroma. It is served in large warm mugs.
Macchiato
It is prepared like a regular classic espresso, but with the addition of hot milk whipped into a thick foam. Sugar is often added to it, which gives the drink a delicate caramel taste.
Con panna
This is a type of espresso macchiato. Drink instead of frothed milk served with cream. Cream whipped with sugar into a dense foam gives coffee an unforgettable taste.
Latte
Espresso with milk, diluted in proportions 3:7. This smooth, sugary milk drink contains very little caffeine but is high in calories. Find out how a latte differs from a cappuccino.
Cappuccino
The composition of this popular and beloved sweet drink: coffee, milk and strong foam.
Many people are interested in the question: how many ml of milk is added to cappuccino.
There is an ironclad rule here: a third of the volume of the mug should be taken up by coffee, a third by milk. The rest of the space is filled with thick milk foam. Read about how to make cappuccino at home without a coffee machine.
Ristretto
Very strong espresso. It is prepared from the usual 8-9 grams of ground coffee and only 10 ml of water. Find out more about ristretto and its recipes.
Coretto
Espresso brewed according to the classic recipe, but with a significant difference. In ready drink a small amount of any alcohol is added, such as liqueur or whiskey.
Do you like coffee? - divine drink: classic, with ice, with cinnamon and cocoa - we have collected for you in this article.
Classic Espresso coffee and how to make such coffee without a coffee machine.
Based on the classic Espresso, several variations are prepared:
—lungo (espresso lungo) - regular espresso, which is diluted with water to 70 - 95 ml., as a result of which the drink is not so strong;
-double espresso, or doppio (espresso doppio), for preparation, which uses double the amount of ground coffee and the volume of water - 50-60 ml., i.e. two servings of Espresso in one cup;
—ristretto (espresso ristretto) - for a regular serving of espresso coffee, a smaller amount of water is taken, 15-20 ml, resulting in a very strong drink.
Classic Espresso, as well as ristretto and doppio, are served in cups with a capacity of 50 to 75 ml, and for lungo larger cups are used, up to 150 ml.
By the way, the container in which the coffee drink is served is also important. Ideally, a white cup made of thick-walled porcelain, coated with durable enamel, is used for Espresso. It should be elliptical in shape, with a capacity of 65-70 ml. It is this cup, due to its large heat capacity and unique shape, that makes it possible to appreciate the magnificent foam, aroma, and softness of Espresso without losing strength. Before filling, the cup must be warmed up. Despite the fact that the cup holds 65-70 ml of drink, the maximum filling for Espresso coffee is 30 ml.
The most useful dosage is "ristretto", because in the first 25 seconds, under steam pressure, all the best substances are extracted from the coffee mixture: gluconates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, aromatic oils, and all the less worthy substances remain in the filter.
coffee at home
Espresso coffee at home.
Truly classic Espresso coffee is prepared using a coffee machine, but since it is not always possible to install an expensive and high-quality coffee machine at home, the recipe below will allow you to prepare high-quality Espresso coffee at home, which is practically in no way inferior to coffee prepared in bars or restaurants using apparatus.
You will need: 2-3 teaspoons of sugar, 1/5 of a teaspoon of salt (coarse is best), water, and, of course, 2-3 teaspoons of ground coffee. It is recommended to buy coffee in beans and grind it before preparing the drink, preferably in a manual coffee grinder.
Espresso is prepared in a Turk, a portion of 25-30 ml.
Ground coffee is poured into a coffee pot, after which sugar and salt are added.
Mix all this well and, without adding water, put it on low heat. The mixture should warm up well until heat and aroma appear. It is important here not to overcook until smoke appears!
As soon as the mixture warms up, warm water (30-40 degrees) is added to it and brought to a boil. After this, you need to remove the Turk from the heat and stir the thicket so that it is covered with water.
Return to the heat and bring to a boil again (the water should gurgle a couple of times).
Remove, cover with a saucer and let it brew.
Espresso is more than just coffee. This is a real art, quite complex. The dark, intense, velvety drink is the result of the interaction of many factors. From the first sip, espresso amazes with its thickness and concentrated aroma, which distinguishes it from coffee prepared by other methods.
There have been unsuccessful attempts all over the world to create something similar. But every Italian knows that there is no better coffee than at home, in Italy. In any bar, at any time, in any cup you will find perfect harmony, rich in aromatic notes and unique taste.
The first espresso machine was born at the instigation of Milanese engineer Luigi Bezzera at the dawn of the 20th century. Entrepreneur Desiderio Pavoni launched the coffee maker under the La Pavoni brand. A couple of decades later, bartender Achille Gaggia, experimenting with coffee machines, figured out how to make a semi-automatic coffee maker. Gaggia coffee equipment is known to this day. The market offers both manual geyser coffee makers and super-automatic models for every taste and color. But the principle of making espresso coffee remains the same.
The coffee maker is designed in such a way that water (steam-water mixture) flows through a filter with coffee, which is compacted and represents a certain obstacle, under a pressure of 9 bar. It will take about 25-30 seconds for the liquid to extract the best from the coffee powder, gain organoleptic properties and flow freely in the form of a thick, oily, aromatic drink.
The speed of preparation is probably reflected in the name.“Espresso” - fast, fast, like “express” in Russian. Another interpretation of the name emphasizes that the word is derived from “extra” and “pressure” and means pressure filtration - the main factor without which coffee will not be “espresso”. The term also has a third meaning - “clearly expressed.” Espresso coffee is just that - bright and rich. There is no point in disputing any version. The name perfectly reflected all the main aspects associated with the drink.
To obtain the “correct” espresso, the following conditions are necessary:
- The most delicious drink comes from freshly ground beans or freshly opened vacuum-packed ground coffee. Coffee powder oxidizes over time when exposed to air, it gains bitterness, and almost half of the aromas evaporate within 20 minutes after grinding.
- Espresso is easiest to prepare in a coffee machine, which has special settings to create the perfect drink. It can also be brewed in a manual portable coffee maker. Hot water passing through the coffee powder will turn into a rich, concentrated drink.
- It is very important to maintain the degree of grinding. The fine powder is like dust and forms a paste-like mass with water, which will simply clog the holes in the filter. Large coffee particles will quickly let water through and will not have time to saturate it with aromatic substances. The drink will be watery. Therefore, only medium grinding, with the same name “espresso,” is suitable.
- it's important. It should be thick enough so that the temperature of the drink remains unchanged and heated for as long as possible. In bars, cups are kept on top of the coffee machine, covered with a napkin. Many coffee makers are equipped with automatic heating of the dishes. And true coffee connoisseurs drink it right away, “hot, hot”, without leaving the bar.
Even minor deviations from the listed conditions can hopelessly ruin the finished product. Correct preparation is assessed by the appearance of the stream of coffee flowing out. In international coffee jargon, it is called “mouse tail.” The quality of the drink is determined by the color of the “crema” - the foam on the surface of the coffee.
Classic recipe for espresso in a coffee machine: add 1 tsp. heaped coffee (7-9 g) into a portioned cone, compact tightly, set and press the start button. A light brown or cream-colored foam will indicate a properly prepared drink.
Turkish espresso recipe
It is not always possible to get a cup of aromatic coffee from a barista and not everyone is a happy owner of coffee equipment. Therefore, at home you can safely prepare espresso in a regular Turk. It is recommended to use copper cookware. In this case, it is better to grind very finely, because our goal is to get a rich drink.
- Measure out 7-9 g of coffee, pour it into a slightly warmed pot and fill it with cold water (30 ml).
- Cook over low heat until foam appears. When it starts to rise, remove the Turk from the heat for a few seconds and, if desired, throw in a pinch of salt.
- When the foam goes down, return everything to the fire again. We will repeat the procedure several times, but without salt, without bringing the liquid to a boil.
Types of drink
In addition to the classic, there are several types of espresso:
- Doppio (espresso doppio) - simply put, this is a double portion of regular espresso. Accordingly, the carob machine uses a 2-portion cone, and if there is none, then 1 portion is prepared twice. Coffee consumption for doppio 2 tsp. with a slide of 60 ml of water.
- Con panna (espresso con panna) - coffee with cream. A regular portion of classic espresso is poured into a large cup. Place 25 g of whipped natural cream on top, which can be powdered with grated chocolate or nuts.
- (lungo) has a less intense coffee taste and noticeable bitterness. However, it contains a higher proportion of caffeine. Caffe lungo translated from Italian means “long” or is also called “diluted coffee”. To prepare it, you need the usual portion of ground grains (7 g) and a double portion of water (60 ml). Accordingly, the cooking time increases to 50 seconds. Due to this, a double portion of hot water removes additional components from the coffee, which give the drink bitterness. Nevertheless, this is an excellent way to cheer up at any time of the day.
- Ristretto (ristretto) or corto (corto) is a thick, concentrated drink, the usual portion of which is drunk in one sip. To prepare, take 7-11 g of coffee and half a portion of water (15-20 ml). The drink has a stunning coffee taste with minimal caffeine content, which simply does not have time to accumulate in it during the short preparation time. It is customary to serve it paired with a glass of cold water, so you can enjoy the richness of taste sensations longer.
- Macchiato (caffe macchiato) - coffee with the addition of frothed milk, literally translated - “with a stain”. The espresso is prepared in the usual way, and then comes the turn of that same milk speck. Usually it is taken 1 tbsp. There are variations in preparation. Milk is added to the drink or whipped and placed on top with a cap. A variety of macchiato with cold milk is called “freddo”, and with hot milk it is called “caldo”.
- Espresso Romano or Roman coffee- a sophisticated tonic drink with sunny citrus. To prepare, brew a regular portion of classic espresso and add 1 tsp to it in a cup. lemon juice. When serving, espresso romano is decorated with a piece of zest or a slice of lemon.
- Corretto is coffee “flavored” with alcohol. Moreover, the drink is chosen according to preference; it can be lungo, ristretto, but more often regular espresso. Alcohol is added to the finished portion: cognac or anise liqueur, brandy, sambuca or Italian grappa. It is customary to add alcohol to taste, but there is an unspoken rule that more than 1 tsp. alcohol will ruin the drink.
The Italians, with their characteristic humor, say that it is not necessary to season your coffee, and the recipe for “caffe corretto” was born solely as an excuse to have a glass after dinner. In addition, after taking “corretto” it is customary to take the so-called “resentin”. You need to pour a little grappa into a cup of coffee, swirl it to remove the foam from the walls, and drink in one gulp. Italians believe that science has not yet come up with anything more invigorating after dinner.
Coffee can do a lot. You just need to choose the most delicious recipe and sit in good company. And the drink will do the rest, filling every moment with a bouquet of aromas and incomparable taste.
photo: depositphotos.com/paulistano, massonforstock
With one hundred percent certainty, you will find coffee on the menu of every cafe, restaurant, bar, pub, canteen and, of course, coffee shop, along with plain water. At the same time, the quality of the drink can vary greatly; the global coffee culture in Russia is not yet developed. This is where incidents occur. We won’t talk about very complicated cases and the fact that in most establishments they won’t understand you when you try to order a Chemex, or just a flat white, but let’s talk about the basics - espresso. Sometimes the answer to a request for a double espresso in an average Russian restaurant can be 150 milliliters of coffee or literally two espressos in two cups. We turned to the experts to find out what this coffee drink should really be like.
Nikolay Chistyakov
roaster and head barista Camera Obscura
Espresso is a certain ratio of the dose (bookmark) of coffee to the weight of the drink (espresso). For example, if you take 20 grams of coffee, then the resulting espresso in the cup will be from 35 to 40 grams. This ratio is determined not so much by the choice of coffee, but by the style of espresso in the establishment.
It is easy to understand that espresso weighing 30 grams (this is a ratio of 1.5) will be thicker and brighter in aroma than espresso brewed with 40 grams (this is a ratio of 2.0). Each coffee establishment has a certain style and recognizable taste of espresso. For example, at Camera Obscura we usually brew espresso in a ratio of 1.8 - from 20 grams of coffee we get 36 grams of espresso. But, again, it all depends on the quality of the water, roasting style, equipment, etc.
Nastya Godunova
co-owner of Good Enough coffee shop
In the Krasnodar region, I once came across this practice: a double espresso is brewed from one coffee tab and an Americano is immediately used on it. But there the tea bags, it seems, were dried and brewed a second time. Of course, all this is fundamentally wrong. But in our city, that is, in Moscow, there are also a lot of establishments that are not so much indifferent to the drink, they absolutely do not care about the taste, volume and the preparation process. A black-brown liquid with foam that disappears after a second, when it comes out it will work.
Real espresso is a 25–35 ml drink brewed in an espresso machine in 20–30 seconds from 18–22 grams of coffee. It's dense, syrupy, interesting, and preferably delicious. But all the characteristics that affect the taste (volume of espresso, extraction time) depend on many factors: the region where the coffee grows, the method of processing, the degree of roasting, the time after roasting and the preparation recipe. The barista monitors the development and changes of the drink every day, it’s very interesting. But, unfortunately, they don’t do this, for example, in restaurants where coffee is a mandatory drink on the menu, but not at all important.
Coffee latte, cappuccino, espresso, Americano... Do you know exactly how they differ from each other and how they are prepared?
Coffee is the favorite drink of millions of people in the world. For some, the morning begins with its wonderful aroma; for others, coffee is a reason to meet with friends. Arriving at a coffee shop, we look at the menu and see a lot of coffee drinks on it - espresso, latte with blackcurrant syrup, flat white coffee, cappuccino, mocha...
How do you decide which one you like? To do this, you need to understand what each of them is. So:
What is espresso coffee
Espresso is a coffee drink that is prepared using a coffee machine: hot water is passed through ground coffee under high pressure. Extremely concentrated taste and aroma are “squeezed” into the cup. One serving of espresso takes 7 grams. ground coffee per 30 ml of water.
This drink is prepared quickly (within 30 seconds) and should be served no less quickly. The thicker the walls of the miniature cup, the better, because the espresso will stay hot longer. Espresso should be drunk quickly, before it has time to cool down - this type of coffee loses its taste and aroma over time.
The main sign of high-quality espresso is a stable, thick foam that should cover the entire surface of the cup of coffee. In bad espresso, the crema has holes through which the drink itself is visible.
Varieties of espresso
Dense foam is a sign of high-quality espresso.
Espresso doppio– double strength espresso, 15 g is used to prepare it. ground coffee per 30 ml of water per serving.
Espresso lungo– a less strong drink, 4 grams are needed to prepare it. ground coffee per standard volume of water. You cannot dilute regular espresso with water to obtain lungo espresso - the result will not be lungo coffee, but Americano.
Espresso coretto– espresso, in which a few drops of any alcoholic drink (cognac, rum, amaretto, etc.) are dissolved.
"Coretto" means "seasoned" in Italian. Espresso Romano is a standard espresso served with a squeeze of lemon.
Espresso macchiato– espresso, to which a drop (about 15 ml) of whipped cream has been added. The cream spreads over its surface and creates a light marbled pattern. "Macchiato" means "marble" in Italian.
Espresso con panna– Viennese coffee, a standard shot of espresso served with a large dollop of whipped cream.
Latte - coffee with milk
There's more milk in a latte than coffee.
Latte- the lightest of all coffee cocktails, it should contain three times more milk than espresso. To make a latte, the milk must be frothed. First, milk is poured into a transparent glass, and then espresso is added to it gradually, so as not to mix.
The result is a layered cocktail - milk at the bottom, and then coffee, on top of which thick milk foam floats. Lattes are often prepared with the addition of various syrups - peach, raspberry, vanilla, but the most delicious among gourmets is the latte with blackcurrant syrup.
Latte is a traditional drink for Italians, but in its homeland it is not as popular as in the USA. In Europe, the classic serving of a latte, sometimes called a latte macchiato, is 200 ml, while in America, lattes are traditionally served in 400-500 ml cups.
Cappuccino and other types of coffee with milk
In a “correct” cappuccino, the foam is so strong that the sugar does not sink into it
Cappuccino is a coffee drink in which a third part of espresso, a third part of boiled milk and a third part of frothed milk are mixed (milk for cappuccino is frothed using steam). It is because of the lush foam on top, slightly reminiscent of the hood of a Capuchin monk, that this drink acquired its name.
The foam prevents the aroma from evaporating and helps the cappuccino stay warm longer. First prepare the espresso, and then carefully pour the frothed milk into the center of the cup. In a well-prepared cappuccino, the foam is so strong that if you put a small spoonful of sugar on it, it will not sink. Although the Italians themselves always drink cappuccino without sugar, and only before lunch. The standard serving is 150 ml.
Flat white coffee- a drink based on one part of double espresso, diluted with two parts of boiled, but not foamed milk.
This coffee, the highlight of which is a rich coffee taste with a noticeable milky note, is gaining more and more popularity among coffee lovers. A wonderful cocktail with vodka is made using cooled flat white coffee.
Torre- a layered drink, in many ways reminiscent of a latte and cappuccino at the same time. This is espresso covered with fluffy milk foam, drier and denser than cappuccino.
Mocha– a mixture of espresso, hot chocolate, milk and whipped cream. Ideally, for every portion of espresso there is a portion of hot chocolate, boiled milk and whipped cream.
Most often, chocolate syrup is added to mocha instead of hot chocolate, making mocha the most nutritious of coffee drinks. It has much more caffeine than regular espresso.
How is Americano different from espresso?
Initially, Americano was not supposed to have foam.
Americano is a simple coffee made in a filter coffee maker. They say that during World War II, American soldiers asked Italian bartenders to brew them the same coffee that they drank at home in the United States, and the bartenders simply diluted the ready-made espresso with hot water.
Americano is not as strong as espresso (however, it has the same amount of caffeine, just in less concentration). Americano has appealed to Europeans who are concerned about their health.
Italian Americano did not have the coffee foam familiar to Europeans, so the Swiss proposed a new way of preparing it - not adding water to the espresso, but, on the contrary, carefully pouring coffee into a cup of hot water, then foam will remain on its surface. The ideal proportion is one part espresso to three parts hot water, and the result should be 120 ml of drink.
We hope you enjoy some of these espresso drinks!
Photo: depositphotos.com
