Espresso Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Turn on your espresso machine and allow it to fully heat for 15–30 minutes so the group head, portafilter and boiler reach stable temperature. Warm your shot glass or demitasse by rinsing it briefly with hot water from the machine and discard the rinse water.

Weigh and grind

Weigh 18 g of whole espresso beans. Set your burr grinder to a fine espresso setting (typically between table 2–4 on many grinders). Grind the 18 g directly into the portafilter basket so the coffee is just ground before brewing to preserve aroma.

Distribute and tamp

Distribute the ground coffee evenly in the portafilter basket by tapping the side of the portafilter or using a distribution tool. Use a tamper to press the grounds level and firm with about 15–20 kg of downward pressure until the surface is even and smooth. Wipe the portafilter rim to remove any loose grounds.

Pre-infuse and brew

Lock the portafilter into the group head. Start the shot and allow a 2–4 second pre-infusion (low-pressure water contact) if your machine supports it. Pull the shot aiming for 36 ml of beverage in about 25–30 seconds total brew time from the moment water first flows. Adjust grind finer if the shot takes longer than 30 seconds or tastes sour; adjust coarser if it extracts faster than 20 seconds or tastes bitter.

Observe and finish

Watch for a steady, honey-like stream that is chestnut brown with a golden crema on top. When you reach ~36 ml (a ristretto-like ratio of 1:2), stop the shot. Wipe the group head and knock out the puck of spent grounds.

Serve

Serve the espresso immediately in the warmed demitasse. Enjoy plain or use as the base for milk drinks (latte, cappuccino) while crema is still present.

Purge a short burst of water through the group head after brewing to clear residual grounds and keep temperature stable. Rinse and dry the portafilter and tamp. Backflush the machine according to manufacturer guidance at the end of the day.