Preheat your cup and plunger with hot boiled water.
Add to the plunger, one rounded tablespoon of correctly ground coffee per cup (ie ground coarser than for espresso).
Add the required number of cups of freshly boiled water. Gently stir to mix the grounds, then replace the lid. Be careful not to chip the glass when stirring.
Good fresh coffee will create a slightly creamy look, as carbon dioxide is released.
Wait no more than a few minutes, then depress the plunger slowly to avoid spillage, and to keep all the coffee below the mesh. It is safest to place the plunger on a non-slip surface.
Indian two-tier filter
Place the top unit of the filter jug onto the lower unit and fix firmly.
Remove the plunger from the upper unit of the filter.
Place 3 teaspoons ( 15 g ) of freshly ground coffee powder into the upper unit.
Prepare a uniform bed of powder and moisten the grounds with a spoonful of water.
Insert the plunger placing it on top of the powder to compact the coffee powder.
Pour 225 ml of freshly boiled water over the plunger.
Allow it to brew. Gradually the brown aromatic liquidity will drip into the lower unit.
Pour out the coffee extract from the lower unit into the cups.
Add fresh hot milk and sugar to taste
Serve hot.
AeroPress Brewing Tips
Grind only the amount of coffee you need for your brew. Use the AeroPress scoop to measure the beans into the grinder. You can use the AeroPress funnel to transfer the ground coffee to the chamber.
Remove the plunger and the cap from the chamber.
Put a filter inside the cap and twist the cap onto the chamber.
Stand the chamber on a sturdy mug.
Put ground coffee into the chamber using the AeroPress scoop - one scoop for each espresso, up to a maximum of four scoops for 4 cups.
Pour heated water slowly into the chamber up to the number that corresponds to your number of espresso cups.
Mix the water and coffee together with the AeroPress stirrer for about ten seconds.
Wet the rubber seal and insert the plunger into the chamber. Gently and slowly press the plunger slowly downwards.
Invert the AeroPress as you lift it off the cup.
Divide your espresso servings using the scoop.
Remove the cap, and press the plunger all the way through to eject the "puck" of spent grounds into the bin or compost.
Rinse and/or brush away any grounds left on the rubber seal. The seal has already wiped the chamber clean, so no further cleaning is necessary.
Always store the AeroPress with the plunger pushed all the way in, or completely removed, to avoid compressing the seal.
Espresso Machine Brewing Tips
Start with delicious freshly roasted coffee.
Each machine is different so start off by reading your manual closely. Time spent doing a home barista short course will enhance your enjoyment of espresso coffee making.
Having the correct grind is especially crucial for electric espresso machines. As a general rule, the coffee should have a consistency similar to sand when rubbed between your fingers. Too coarse - and you will have a fast extraction, resulting a disappointingly weak brew. Too fine - and you will have an extraction of bitter coffee, dripping slowly into your cup. With every machine we sell you will receive a sample of correctly ground coffee, so you will know what to aim for.
Fill the water reservoir.
Allow your espresso machine and portafilter handle to warm up to the appropriate brewing temperature. Remember to pre-heat your cups too.
Place your clean, dry, portafilter basket under the dosing mechanism of your grinder, and fill the basket until slightly heaped.
Use your tamper to compress the coffee evenly using 15kg of pressure. Keep your arm and wrist in a straight line whilst tamping. Achieving an evenly compressed, and level biscuit of coffee within your basket is important. It is worth investing in a good quality tamper for this purpose.
Lock the portafilter handle into the group head and start the extraction process without delay. Coffee left in the portafilter will burn quickly.
The ideal extraction will leave a golden layer of aromatic, flavoursome foam known as 'crema' on top of your espresso. Too little crema may indicate that your grind is either too fine, or too course.
A single shot of espresso should produce 25- 30mls in approximately 25 - 30 seconds. A double shot of espresso should produce 60mls in 25 seconds.
If the coffee comes through too fast, try to grind your coffee finer. If it comes through too slow, grind your coffee a little more coarse and try again.
Knock out the coffee biscuit from the portafilter into a knock box. The biscuit should be firm and crisp when it breaks.
Other essential accessories include a knock box (for the grinds left over in the portafilter), barista cloths, a selection of cups, a tamper, milk jugs and a quality grinder.
Stove Top Espresso Brewing Tips
Start with delicious freshly roasted coffee.
Unscrew the pot and fill the base with fresh cold water, up to the level of the safety valve.
Insert the filter basket and fill it to the top with correctly ground coffee. Clean any loose grinds of coffee from the rim of the filter basket.
Screw the top and base together firmly.
Place the pot on the stovetop on a medium heat; ensure that the flame (or electric hot plate) does not exceed the circumference of the base of the pot. This way you won't burn the handle. Don't leave the room as the process only takes 3 to 5 minutes.
When you hear the sound of percolation, remove the pot from the heat source within 10-15 seconds. Serve immediately.
