Espresso Recipe

Preheat and dose

Preheat your espresso machine and portafilter by running a blank shot (no coffee) for 10–15 seconds. Warm the serving cup by rinsing with hot water. Weigh 18 g of coffee beans for a double shot and grind immediately.

Grind

Grind the 18 g of beans to a fine espresso grind — slightly finer than table salt. Aim for a grind that produces resistance when tamping and yields 25–35 seconds extraction time (adjust grind finer if extraction is too fast, coarser if too slow).

Tamp and lock in

Distribute the ground coffee evenly in a clean, dry portafilter basket. Use a tamper to press it with 30 lbs (13.6 kg) of pressure, producing a flat, level puck. Wipe any loose grounds from the rim and lock the portafilter into the machine.

Brew

Start the shot. Brew ~36 ml of espresso into the warmed cup. Target an extraction time of 25–35 seconds from the moment you start the pump. You should see a steady, honey-like stream and a 1–2 mm crema layer on top.

Evaluate and adjust

Taste the shot. If it tastes sour and weak, tighten the grind (finer) or increase dose slightly. If it tastes bitter and overly astringent, coarsen the grind or shorten extraction time. Make small adjustments (1–2 clicks on grinder or 0.5–1 g dose).

Classic espresso (serve as is)

Serve the 36 ml double espresso immediately in the warmed cup. Drink within 1–2 minutes to enjoy the crema and aromatic top notes.

With sugar

If desired, stir up to 1 tsp of sugar into the hot espresso until dissolved. Taste and adjust to preference.

Americano

For an Americano, pour 60 ml of hot water into a cup, then slowly add the 36 ml espresso on top to preserve crema (or reverse order if preferred). Adjust water volume to taste.

Macchiato / Cortado

For a macchiato, top the espresso with a dollop (~10–15 ml) of steamed milk or microfoam. For a cortado, add an equal part steamed milk (~30 ml) to the 36 ml espresso. Serve immediately.