Lavazza Espresso Blonde Or Dark Roast Recipe

Warm up machine and tools

Fill the espresso machine reservoir with filtered water (use about 1 liter) and turn the machine on. Allow the machine to reach operating temperature (usually 15–30 minutes depending on model). Place the portafilter in the group head to warm it and run a short water flush through the group head to clear residual grounds and stabilize temperature.

Preheat your demitasse or shot glass by pouring ~60 ml of hot filtered water into it, let sit 20–30 seconds, then discard the water before pulling the shot.

Clean and dry the portafilter basket. Ensure the basket is dry so tamping is consistent.

Weigh beans

Weigh 18 g of Lavazza espresso beans (choose Blonde for a brighter cup, Dark for richer/bolder flavor).

Grind

Grind the 18 g of beans on a fine setting suitable for espresso using a burr grinder. Target a grind that allows extraction of 36–40 ml in about 25–30 seconds (for a 1:2 yield). If using a slightly different yield, adjust grind accordingly.

Distribute and tamp

Dose the freshly ground coffee into the clean dry double basket in the portafilter. Level the grounds by a light tamping or distribution technique to remove large air pockets. Using a tamper, press firmly and evenly to create a flat, uniform puck with about 30 lbs (13–15 kg) of force. Polish the tamp with a slight twist to finish.

Wipe any loose grounds from the portafilter rim and lock the portafilter into the group head securely.

Start the shot

Place the preheated shot glass or demitasse on the scale under the portafilter and tare. Start the extraction and simultaneously start the timer.

Aim for an espresso yield of 36–40 ml (about a 1:2 ratio) in 25–30 seconds. If flow is too fast, make the grind finer; if too slow or syrupy, make it coarser. Observe the stream: it should start dark, become honey-like mid-shot, and finish with a slightly lighter crema.

Stop the extraction when you reach 36–40 ml or around 25–30 seconds. Remove the cup and enjoy the shot as espresso, or use it as the base for milk drinks.

Knock out the spent puck into a knock box, rinse and wipe the portafilter, and flush the group head with a short water shot to clear grounds and cool the group.

If making milk drinks, steam milk now using the steam wand to your preferred texture, then pour over the extracted espresso.

Enjoy: Blonde roast will present brighter, more delicate notes and higher perceived acidity; Dark roast will be deeper, more chocolatey and smoky. Taste and adjust dose, grind, or yield on future pulls to refine flavor.