Make your favourite coffees at home

Espresso

 The iconic Italian favorite.

Description
Espresso is a both a brewing technique and an exquisite coffee beverage but it’s not a specific bean, blend or roast - level. A deep-rich, thick, velvety beverage with a premium aromatic taste, it’s the foundation and the lifeblood for other famous coffee drinks such as Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, Macchiato, Mocha and Flat White.

Most espresso drinks are made using an espresso machine. Espresso requires a delicate art of perfect grinding and tamping, pinpoint accuracy of temperatures and pressures, precision timing and just the right amount of coffee. One espresso shot measures 30ml./1fl.oz. while a double espresso or “Doppio” measures 60ml./2fl.oz.

Method
“Express” a small amount of close to boiling water with pressure, forcing it through finely ground compacted (tamped) coffee. Tamping allows the water to penetrate evenly through the grounds. Crema, a creamy foam and the result of the oils in the ground coffee emulsifying, forms on top. Below sits a balanced, full-bodied, syrupy liquid. Other brewing techniques like a French Press or a Moka Pot may be used.

Serving
Enjoy immediately (“Expressly”) and serve in a 60ml - 89ml./2-3 fl. oz. porcelain demitasse with a handle and saucer.

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Americano

The simple drink.

Description
An Americano dilutes an espresso with hot water. The strength of the beverage varies with the number of shots of espresso and the amount of water added. Due to differences in water temperature, water-to-grounds ratios, grind settings and brew times, it has a different flavor and taste but similar strength to a traditionally brewed coffee. The taste is often dictated by the coffee’s origin characteristics and roast-level and has approximately as much caffeine as drip coffee.

Method

• Extract a single espresso shot or two shots (double) into the cup.
• Pour 89ml./3 fl. oz. hot water over the espresso.

Serving

• The ideal serving temperature is between 180-185 degrees Fahrenheit/82-85 degrees Celsius.
• Add milk and sugar if desired.
• Use a porcelain cup of 295ml - 473ml./10-16 fl. oz. but can be made in a glass or ceramic cup.

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Cappuccino

One of the most popular.

Description
Cappuccino is traditionally composed of double espresso, hot milk and a foamed milk surface. The infinite beauty of this drink is achievable following the rules of thirds: use a 1:1:1: ratio of one-third espresso (57ml./1.93 fl.oz.), one-third steamed milk (57ml./1.93 fl. oz) and one-third foam (57ml./1.93 fl. oz). The result is a light but bold coffee taste, incredible flavour and texture and some sweetness from the naturally occurring lactose sugar in the milk.

Method

• Extract a single espresso shot or two shots (double) into the cup.
• Pour 89ml./3 fl. oz. hot water over the espresso.
• Most often prepared using an espresso machine.
• Texture and milk temperature are the most important factors.
• Pour a double espresso into the cup, followed by hot steamed milk.
• Add the micro-foam on top of the steamed milk, which gives the milk a velvety texture.
• Sprinkle chocolate or cinnamon powder on top.

Serving

• Use a narrow-bottom 148 -171ml./5-6 fl. oz. porcelain cup with a handle, served on an accompanying saucer.

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Café Latte

The milky way.

Description
Café Latte is the largest and milkiest of espresso and milk drinks. The drink consists of one-third espresso, two-thirds heated (whipped) milk and a smooth, thin topping of milk foam. Content and cup volume should be equal -- that is to say, the cup should be filled to the top. In specialty coffee, any beverage larger than 8 ounces is considered a Latte.

Method

• Extract 1 or 2 shots of espresso into a cup.
• Add 295ml./10 fl.oz. steamed milk.
• Add 1 cm./.05oz. of micro-foam on top of the steamed milk.
• As you pour the steamed milk into the cup, use a spoon to hold back the foam until the cup is more than ¾ Then top it off with the small cap of foam.
• For a Vanilla Latte, add vanilla essence.
• For a White Chocolate Latte, add white chocolate flavoring and shavings plus steamed milk, topped with velvety foam.

Serving

• Most commonly served in a 325ml.– 444ml./11-15 fl.oz. heavy, bowl-shaped wide porcelain cup, resembling a bowl or a tumbler glass. The wide rim makes it easy to pour steamed milk over the espresso to create latte art.

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Mocha (Latte)

The chocolate-lovers’ espresso.

Description

A Mocha is an espresso with steamed (whipped) milk but with added chocolate flavoring and sweetener, typically in the form of cocoa powder and sugar.  Where chocolate syrup is used instead, it is called a Mochaccino. Other variations may contain dark or milk chocolate.

A White chocolate Mocha is an espresso with white chocolate, milk and ice, finished off with sweetened whipped cream or a small amount of velvety milk foam. A third variant on the Caffè Mocha is to use a coffee-base instead of espresso. The combination would then be coffee, steamed milk and the added chocolate.

Method

• Extract 1 or 2 shots of espresso into a cup.
• Add one spoon or 2 fl.oz. of chocolate powder into the espresso shot and mix.
• Add 30ml./1fl.oz. of steamed milk.
• Add 2–3 cm of micro-foam.
• Sprinkle chocolate powder, cocoa powder or cinnamon and for flavor and decoration, add marshmallows on top.

Serving

• Best served in a small espresso cup or short glass.

Caffè Macchiato

 The “marked” coffee.

Description
Caffè Macchiato or Espresso Macchiato is an Italian classic and simply a shot of espresso with a spot of milk. The intent of this drink is to make the espresso more palatable by making it slightly sweeter with a splash of milk. In Italian, macchiato means "stained" or "spotted" so the literal translation of caffè macchiato is "stained or marked coffee". A small amount or dollop (drop or two) of steamed milk, usually foamed, is added to the espresso. The espresso is going to be two-thirds of what’s in the cup.

Method

• Pull a 30ml./1fl.oz. or a 60ml./2fl.oz. shot of espresso for a Long Macchiato.
• Add one to two teaspoons of steamed milk and a bit of foam on the top.
• Always let the milk sit for a minute to let it separate from the foam.
• The key to the perfect short macchiato is the rule of thirds. There should be three different colored layers in the macchiato: a bottom dark layer to represent the espresso; a middle layer that mixes the espresso and the milk and a top layer of predominantly steamed milk.

Serving

• Use a porcelain or demitasse glass cup.

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Cortado

Intense yet sweet.

Description
This beverage is composed of the perfect balance of espresso and silky-steamed milk, which allows the warm milk to reduce the acidity and mellow the espresso. In addition, the coffee flavor still shines through. The essence of the drink is the steamed milk, which is not frothy and “texturized” as in many Italian coffee drinks. Traditionally it is a smaller drink, larger than a macchiato but smaller than a cappuccino or flat white. Popular in Spain and Portugal, as well as throughout Latin America.

Method

• Ratio of espresso to milk is 1: 1 – a single or double espresso shot in a macchiato glass, filled with 30ml. or 60ml/1fl.oz or 2fl.oz. of steamed milk.
• The steamed milk hasn't much foam, but many baristas make some micro foam to make latte art.

Serving

• Generally served in a 150 ml.–200 ml./5-7fl.oz. glass (demitasse) with a metal ring and a metal wire handle.

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Flat White

The Australian favorite.

Description
The Flat White is similar to the Caffe Latte but smaller in volume with less or no micro foam, therefore having a higher proportion of coffee to milk. The microfoam is made up of steamed milk which is gently infused with air. This results in silky, textured milk containing tiny air bubbles. The air bubbles should be barely visible to the coffee drinker when perfectly made.This allows the espresso to dominate the flavor, while being supported by the milk. Originating from Australia, the Flat White has become the favourite for people who want an espresso drink without the milk dominating the cup and flavour.

Method

• Add two 60ml. / 2 fl.oz. ristretto shots into a cup which will give a stronger taste.
• Froth 118ml. / 4fl.oz. of milk but hold back around 20mm/or close to 1 inch of microfoam. This will allow the crema to create a dark brown color across the top of the beverage.
• Add the steamed milk into the cup but no micro-foam.
• Use whole milk so that there is a different taste to a cappuccino and latte.

Serving

• Serve in a glass or ceramic cup in a small size only (5oz-6oz.), much smaller than typical cappuccinos and lattes.
• Allow the beverage to stand a bit before drinking which will add texture.

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Affogato

The best dessert coffee.

Description
An Affogato is a simple, indulgent summertime Italian-based dessert coffee ideal for after dinner. Only two ingredients are required. It’s made by placing a scoop of ice cream “drowned” with a single or double shot of hot espresso.

Method

• Add one large scoop, around 89ml. / 3fl.oz. of vanilla gelato or ice-cream into a tumbler glass. 
• Pour a single or double shot of espresso over the ice-cream.
• For an added kick, add a shot of Frangelico, Amaretto or Bicerin liqueur into the mix. Other variations include using coconut, berries, honeycomb and different flavours of ice cream such as hazelnut, chocolate, mint or caramel.
• Top with shaved dark chocolate and/or chopped hazelnuts.

Serving

• Serve immediately.
• Use a glass tumbler with metal frame and handle or no handle.