Espresso Recipe

Warm and clean

Turn on the espresso machine and allow it to fully heat (usually 15–30 minutes) so the group head and portafilter are at stable brewing temperature. Flush the group head briefly (1–2 seconds) to clear residual water. Warm your cup by flushing hot water into it, then discard that water.

Dose and grind

Weigh 18 g of finely ground coffee (espresso grind). The grind should be fine, resembling powdered sugar but not so fine that it clogs the basket. If grinding from whole beans, adjust grinder setting to achieve 18 g in the portafilter basket.

Distribute and tamp

Place the 18 g of grounds into a clean, dry portafilter basket. Use a distribution technique (finger tap, WDT, or distributor) to level the puck. Compress the grounds evenly with a tamper using firm, level pressure (approx. 20–30 lbs / 9–14 kg of force) to create a flat, even surface. Wipe any loose grounds from the rim of the portafilter.

Pre-infusion and extraction

Lock the portafilter into the group head and start the shot immediately. Use a 1:2 brew ratio (18 g coffee to ~36 g/ml liquid yield). Begin timing when water first makes contact with the coffee. If your machine has pre-infusion, allow a short pre-infusion (2–5 seconds) to saturate the puck. Continue extraction until you have about 36 ml of espresso in the cup. Total extraction time should be roughly 25–30 seconds (including pre-infusion).

Adjustments if needed

If extraction finishes too fast (<20 s) and is watery, grind finer or increase dose slightly. If extraction is too slow (>35 s) and tastes bitter, grind coarser or reduce dose slightly. Aim for a balanced taste with a golden crema.

Finish

Stop the extraction at the target yield (~36 ml). Wipe the portafilter and flush the group head briefly to keep the machine clean. Serve the espresso immediately in the warmed cup to preserve crema and aroma.

Straight

Serve the espresso as-is (single or double shot) immediately after extraction. Optionally add sugar or simple syrup to taste and stir gently.

With milk

If desired, steam about 30 ml milk to 60–65°C (140–149°F) creating microfoam. Pour 30 ml steamed milk and a small amount of foam (around 10 ml) over the espresso to make a macchiato or a small cortado-style drink. Serve immediately.

Knock out the used puck, rinse the portafilter, and wipe the group head. Backflush the machine as recommended by the manufacturer at the end of the day. Empty drip tray and wipe surfaces.