Coffee Recipe

Inspired by Blue Plate Kitchen
Time10m
Serves1

Make Coffee Recipe in just 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Coffee Base

Method

Equipment & Preparation

1

Gather equipment

Gather a burr grinder (or pre-ground coffee appropriate to your brew method), kettle, scale or measuring spoons, brewer (drip machine, pour-over cone, French press, or espresso machine), filter if needed, mug, and spoon.

2

Preheat your brewer and mug: boil or heat the extra water (0.25 cups) and pour it through the empty filter and into the mug or carafe to warm them. Discard the rinse water.

Measure & Grind

3

Weigh or measure beans: use about 10 tsp (≈10–12 g) of whole beans for a 6–8 oz (0.5 cup) cup of coffee. Adjust to taste for stronger or weaker brew. This recipe is scaled for one small cup (servings = 1).

4

Grind beans: grind to the grind size appropriate for your method — medium-coarse for pour-over or French press, medium for drip, fine for espresso. Grind immediately before brewing for maximum freshness.

Brewing (Pour-over / Drip / French Press / Espresso)

5

Place filter in cone and add the ground coffee. Start a timer. Pour just enough hot water (about double the weight of coffee) to wet the grounds evenly (bloom) — roughly 30–40 ml over 30 seconds. After bloom, continue pouring in a slow circular motion until total water reaches 0.5 cup (about 120 ml). Aim for a total brew time of 2:30–3:30 minutes. Remove filter and serve.

6

Drip machine

Put the grounds and filter in the machine, add 0.5 cup (120 ml) of filtered water to the reservoir (or scale proportionally to the machine’s minimum), and start. Once brewing stops, pour into your preheated mug.

7

French press

Add grounds to the press, pour 0.5 cup (120 ml) of hot water (just off boil, ~93–96°C) and stir gently to saturate. Place the lid with plunger up and let steep 3:30–4:00 minutes. Press down slowly and pour immediately.

8

Espresso (if you have an espresso machine)

Use finely ground coffee tamped into the portafilter (dose ~7–9 g for a single). Pull a shot aiming for ~25–30 seconds; this yields a concentrated espresso. Dilute with hot water to make an Americano to reach the 0.5 cup volume if desired.

Finish & Serve

9

Taste and adjust: add milk (2 tbs) and sweetener (1 tsp) to taste. Add a pinch of salt (0.1 tsp) if desired to reduce bitterness and enhance flavor. Stir well.

10

Serve immediately in a warmed mug. Enjoy fresh; best consumed within 20 minutes for optimal aroma and flavor.