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Ingredients
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Espresso shot
Method
Espresso shot
Equipment and prep
Warm and clean your espresso portafilter and cup by flushing hot water through the group head and into the portafilter and cup. If your machine has a steam wand, purge it briefly. This stabilizes temperature for a better extraction.
Weigh and grind
Weigh 18 g of freshly roasted espresso beans. Grind to a fine, consistent grind suited for your machine (resembles fine sand). Adjust grind finer if extraction is too fast, coarser if too slow.
Dose and distribute
Place the ground coffee into the portafilter basket. Use a distribution tool or tap and level the grounds with your finger to create an even bed.
Tamp
Using a tamper, apply firm, even pressure to compress the grounds into a smooth, level puck (about 30 lbs / 13.6 kg of pressure). Wipe any loose grounds from the portafilter rim.
Brew
Lock the portafilter into the group head. Start the shot and time it. Aim to extract about 36 ml of espresso in 25–30 seconds (from the moment water hits the coffee). Stop the shot when yield and timing are reached. Adjust grind/dose if necessary to dial in.
Serve
Serve immediately in a preheated demitasse. Optionally add up to 1 tsp sugar or a sweetener to taste and stir. Enjoy the espresso while crema is fresh.
Cleanup
Dispose of the used puck, rinse the portafilter, and purge the group head briefly to remove residual grounds. Wipe the steam wand if used.