Coffee Recipe

Measure and grind beans

Weigh 35 g (0.035 kg) of whole coffee beans. Grind to a medium-coarse grind for pour-over / French press style, or finer if using espresso. The grind size should match your brew method: medium-coarse (~grit of sea salt) for French press, medium for drip, fine for espresso.

Heat water

Bring 500 ml of fresh cold water to a temperature of about 92–96°C (197–205°F). If you do not have a thermometer, bring to a boil and let sit 30 seconds to 1 minute before pouring.

Brew (pour-over / drip)

Place a paper filter in your dripper and rinse with hot water to remove paper flavor and preheat the brewer. Add the ground coffee to the filter. Start a timer: pour a small amount of water (about 60 ml) over the grounds to bloom for 30–45 seconds, releasing trapped CO2. After the bloom, pour the remaining water in slow, concentric circles, keeping the water level steady until you reach 500 ml. Total brew time should be about 3–4 minutes for pour-over.

Brew (French press alternative)

Add the ground coffee to the French press, pour in about 60 ml hot water and stir gently to saturate. After 30–45 seconds, pour the remaining water. Place the lid with plunger up and let steep for 4 minutes. Slowly press the plunger down and transfer the coffee to cups to avoid over-extraction.

Brew (espresso alternative)

If using an espresso machine, tamp approximately 18–20 g of finely ground coffee (adjust quantities per shot) and pull a 25–30 second shot yielding about 25–40 ml of espresso. For a double shot, adjust accordingly. The ingredient amounts above are for a batch drip / pour-over; adjust espresso ingredient quantities to match machine and cup size.

Serve

Pour the brewed coffee into cups immediately to preserve flavor and aroma. If using a carafe, decant to avoid over-extraction.

Add sugar: Stir 1 teaspoon of sugar into the cup while coffee is hot until dissolved, or adjust to taste.

Add milk or cream: For a milky coffee, warm 60 ml milk and either steam or heat until hot (but not boiling). Pour warmed milk into the brewed coffee. For a richer texture, add 15 ml heavy cream instead of or in addition to milk.

Flavor: Stir in 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to taste. Combine cinnamon with sugar if desired, or sprinkle cinnamon on the finished cup.

Iced variation: To make iced coffee, brew double-strength coffee (use twice the coffee grounds for the same water) and let cool. Pour over a glass filled with ice and add milk or sweetener as desired.