Double Espresso Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Turn on the espresso machine and allow it to fully heat (usually 15–30 minutes). Place the demitasse cups on the machine’s cup warmer or run hot water through the group head and into the cups to pre-warm them; discard the water. Flush the group head briefly (1–2 seconds) to stabilize temperature.

Weigh and grind

Weigh 18 g of high-quality, freshly roasted coffee beans. Grind to a fine grind suited for your machine (slightly finer than table salt). Target a grind that yields a 25–30 second extraction for 60 ml of espresso; adjust grind finer if extraction is too fast, coarser if too slow.

Dose and distribute

Place the ground coffee into the portafilter basket (18 g dose). Tap the portafilter gently to level the grounds, or use a distribution tool or your finger to create an even bed. Ensure there are no large air pockets and that grounds are evenly distributed across the basket.

Tamp

Using an espresso tamper, press the grounds with consistent, level pressure (approximately 15–20 kg of force). Polish with a slight twist to smooth the puck edge. Wipe any loose grounds from the portafilter rim.

Brew

Lock the portafilter into the group head and start the extraction immediately. Aim for 60 ml of combined espresso (a double) in about 25–30 seconds. A good target ratio is roughly 1:2 (18 g in to ~36 g liquid) to 1:3 depending on strength; for a standard double espresso use ~60 ml total volume including crema. Stop extraction when the color lightens to a blond and the flow becomes thin.

Serve

Wipe the rim of the cup. Serve the double espresso immediately in the pre-warmed demitasse. Enjoy as-is or use as the coffee base for milk-based drinks.

After brewing, knock out the used puck, rinse the portafilter and wipe the group head. Backflush the group head as recommended by your machine manufacturer and keep the grinder hopper sealed to preserve bean freshness.