French Roast Coffee Recipe
Make French Roast 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
Equipment & additions
Method
Preparation
Measure and heat water
Bring filtered water to a boil then let it sit 30 seconds off heat so the temperature is about 93–96°C (200–205°F). If using metric, measure 240 ml of hot water for a standard 8 oz (one serving) yield. If using a full 1 L French press, scale coffee and water accordingly (see notes).
Preheat equipment
Pour a small amount of the hot water into the French press to warm the carafe and plunger. Swirl and discard that water. This helps maintain brewing temperature.
Brewing (French press method)
Add coffee grounds
Place 2 tablespoons (about 10–12 g) of coarsely ground French roast coffee into the bottom of the warmed French press for an 8 oz (240 ml) brew. The recipe uses a 1:15–1:17 coffee-to-water ratio typical for French press; 2 tbs (0.033 cups) approximates this for 240 ml water.
Bloom (optional)
Pour just enough hot water (about 30–50 ml) to wet the grounds evenly and let them bloom for 30–45 seconds. Blooming releases trapped gases and can improve extraction even for dark roasts.
Add remaining water and stir
Pour the rest of the hot water (to reach 240 ml) into the press. Give a gentle but thorough stir with a spoon or paddle to make sure all grounds are saturated and no dry pockets remain.
Steep
Place the plunger assembly on top without plunging (helps retain heat) and let coffee steep for 4 minutes. For a slightly stronger French roast, steep 4:30–5 minutes; for milder, 3:30–4 minutes. Dark roasts often benefit from slightly shorter times to avoid over-extraction of bitter compounds.
Plunge and serve
After the steep time, press the plunger down steadily and evenly until it reaches the bottom. Immediately pour the brewed coffee into a cup or into a thermal carafe to stop extraction and prevent the grounds from continuing to steep in the vessel.
Finishing
Cleanup: discard used grounds (compost if possible), rinse the French press parts, and allow to air dry.