How to make ESPRESSO coffee
You're going to need:
Espresso machine
Whole bean or pre-ground coffee
Grinder (if required)
Scales and a timer
Place the portafilter on the scales and zero them, before grinding the beans and put 17 grams of coffee into the basket.
Level off the bed of ground coffee in your basket and tamp. Apply pressure evenly across the bed.
Lock the portafilter into your machine nice and tight, and place scales underneath with the cup you are going to be drinking from on top, ready to catch the delicious coffee.
Press the double shot button on your espresso machine at the same time as your timer.
The coffee should start to drip through after about 10 ten seconds, the flow should be slow at first and a nice golden brown and this will lighten and speed up over the next few seconds. When you get to around 27 grams on the scales you're going to press the button to stop the flow again, and a small amount will continue to drip through and take you to around 34g.
Tip: If you're buying pre-ground coffee, you obviously can't change the grind size, but you can change the dose. So if your coffee is running too quickly, then try packing a little bit more coffee into your basket. And if it's running too slowly, you can drop your dose down by a gram or two and see if this helps.
