Double Espresso Recipe

Preheat and dose

Preheat your espresso machine by running a blank shot (no coffee) or flushing the group head and portafilter with hot water. Warm the cup by filling it with hot water, then discard. Weigh 18 g of freshly roasted whole beans.

Grind

Grind the 18 g of beans to a fine grind suitable for espresso — the texture should be slightly finer than table salt, producing a resistance when air is pushed through the puck. Aim for a grind that will yield 36 ml in 24–30 seconds (adjust grind as needed).

Prepare portafilter

Wipe and dry the portafilter basket. Distribute the ground coffee evenly into the basket, level it, and then tamp with steady, even pressure (approximately 15–20 kg of force) to create a flat, uniform puck. Polish the edges and wipe any loose grounds from the rim.

Brew

Lock the portafilter into the group head. Start the extraction immediately to avoid channeling. Extract until you have about 36 ml of liquid in the cup. Target total extraction time of 24–30 seconds for a double espresso; if the flow is too fast, make the grind finer; if too slow, make it coarser.

Assess and serve

You should get a rich, syrupy double shot with a layer of crema on top. Serve immediately in the pre-warmed demitasse or shot glass. Clean the portafilter and group head between shots.

Fill the lower chamber of the moka pot with hot filtered water up to the safety valve (approximately 60–80 ml depending on pot size). Fill the filter basket with 18 g of fine espresso-ground coffee, level it but do not tamp. Assemble the pot and place it on medium-low heat. Leave the lid open and watch; when coffee begins to flow and the pot starts to gurgle, remove from heat. Pour approximately 36 ml into the cup (you will get a stronger concentrated coffee but not true espresso). Serve immediately.

Knock out the used puck, rinse and dry the portafilter, and wipe the group head. Backflush the machine as recommended by the manufacturer on a regular schedule.