Espresso Recipe

Warm up and flush

Fill the espresso machine reservoir with filtered water. Turn on the machine and allow it to fully heat (usually 15–30 minutes for built-in boilers). Once at temperature, run a short blank shot (flush) through the group head and portafilter to stabilize temperature and remove old water.

Wipe and clean the portafilter, basket and group head with a clean cloth or brush to remove old grounds and ensure a clean extraction surface.

Weigh 18 g of whole coffee beans on your scale. This is a standard double espresso dose; adjust between 16–20 g to preference.

Grind the 18 g of beans on a fine setting suitable for your machine and basket. The grind should be finer than drip but not so fine that extraction chokes (aim for a texture like powdered sugar slightly coarser than flour).

Purge a shot of air from the grinder chute, then grind directly into the clean, dry portafilter basket placed on the scale. Tap the portafilter lightly to settle grounds and check weight equals 18 g; adjust if necessary.

Evenly distribute the grounds in the basket using either your finger, a distribution tool, or gentle taps to remove voids. Create a flat, level bed of coffee.

Place the tamper squarely on the puck and apply steady, even pressure to compress the grounds. Aim for approximately 30 pounds (13.6 kg) of pressure. Ensure the puck is level after tamping to promote even extraction.

Polish the tamp by twisting the tamper slightly (optional), then wipe any loose grounds from the portafilter rim and lock the portafilter into the group head.

Place your pre-warmed shot glass or demitasse under the spouts. Start the extraction immediately after locking the portafilter in place to avoid channeling from a dry puck sitting.

Start the timer as you begin the shot. Target an output weight of 36 g (a 1:2 ratio brew yield) in 25–30 seconds. If using a machine with volumetric controls, aim for a 25–30 second extraction for a double shot: about 25–30 seconds from first drip to final stop.

Watch the flow: it should start as a thin, steady stream with a honey-like viscosity and a caramel color. If it gushes quickly or looks pale and watery, grind finer or tamp firmer. If it drips slowly or looks almost syrupy and over-extracted (very dark and bitter), grind coarser or reduce dose/tamping pressure.

When the shot reaches the target weight/time, stop the extraction. Wipe the portafilter rim, purge the group head briefly to clear spent grounds, and knock out the puck into a knock box.

Serve the espresso immediately in the pre-warmed demitasse. Enjoy as a straight espresso or use as the base for milk drinks (cappuccino, latte) as desired.

Clean equipment: backflush the group head according to your machine's instructions at the end of use, and clean grinder catch tray and tools.