Espresso Specialty Coffee Recipe

Prepare machine and tools

Turn the espresso machine on and allow it to reach full operating temperature (usually 15–30 minutes depending on the machine). Ensure the group head, portafilter, and cups are heated: run hot water through the group head into the cup to flush and preheat, then discard the water.

Dose and grind

Weigh 18 g of whole espresso beans on the scale. Grind to a fine, slightly gritty texture appropriate for your machine and basket so that a 36–40 g yield extracts in about 25–30 seconds. Adjust grind finer if extraction is faster than 25 seconds, coarser if slower than 30 seconds.

Distribute and tamp

Place the portafilter on the scale, tare it, and transfer the ground 18 g into the basket. Use your finger or a distribution tool to level the puck. Apply an even tamp with about 15–20 kgf of pressure, ensuring the tamp is level. Polish the rim to remove loose grounds.

Purge and lock-in

Purge a small amount of water from the group head (1–2 seconds) to clear cool water. Insert the portafilter and lock it into the group head firmly.

Extract

Place the pre-warmed cup or shot glass under the spouts. Start the shot and simultaneously start the timer. Aim for a 36–40 g beverage weight (2:1 brew ratio) in 25–30 seconds. Stop the shot when the target weight or time is reached. A proper shot will have a golden crema and a syrupy flow.

Serve and clean

Wipe the group head and flush briefly to clear leftover coffee. Knock out the used puck into the knock box and brush the portafilter. Serve the espresso immediately—ideally on a warmed saucer or cup. If serving for tasting, allow to settle 10–20 seconds so crema stabilizes.

Maintain your grinder and machine: backflush the group head daily (per manufacturer), clean portafilters and baskets each shot if busy, and recalibrate grinder doses and grind settings as beans age. Replace water in the machine as recommended and descale per schedule.