How to brew delicious coffee
It is quite possible to get a drink as tasty as a professional barista at home. The main thing is to pay attention to the following points:
- grinding degree. When using Turks, you should grind the grains literally into powder. For a coffee machine or coffee maker, medium grind is suitable. Large fractions are used when brewing in a French press or a regular cup;
- temperature . The liquid should not boil. The optimal temperature is considered to be between 90-97 °C;
- time. The longer the extraction takes place, the stronger the drink is;
- proportions of coffee beans and water. As a rule, 15 g of coffee is consumed per 200 ml of liquid. True, the ratio of products can be changed if desired. If there is more liquid, the strength will decrease. By increasing the number of beans, the drink will be richer.
Latte with halva
We highly recommend trying this coffee for lovers of sweet drinks.
Ingredients:
- Coffee – 1.5 tsp;
- Milk – 1 glass;
- Water – 1/2 cup;
- Halva – 30 grams.
To begin, place the halva in a small bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of water and mash until smooth. Brew strong coffee in a Turkish coffee pot or coffee maker. Combine halva with coffee and stir. Whisk the heated milk until fluffy and pour into a cup. Gently add coffee and serve.
The Right Ingredients
To brew delicious coffee at home, it is extremely important to choose your products responsibly. The coffee beans themselves, as well as the water, deserve attention. In addition, spices are often added during brewing. When using them, the taste of the drink changes significantly.
Quality coffee
The most popular varieties are Robusta and Arabica. These varieties differ in taste and caffeine concentration. As a rule, mixtures go on sale. The higher the concentration of Arabica, the softer the drink will be.
In addition, the following factors affect the taste:
- cultivation area;
- degree of roasting;
- storage conditions.
A high-quality product is sold in opaque packaging equipped with a degassing valve that removes carbon dioxide and prevents the penetration of oxygen. If it is missing, it means the beans were packed some time after roasting. The taste will be worse.
Attention should be paid to the roasting date of the beans. The less time has passed since this moment, the better.
It is recommended to purchase a product that has been heat-treated a maximum of a couple of weeks ago.
The choice should be made on beans, not coffee powder . This is due to the following reasons:
- If the grains are ground independently, you can be sure that there are no impurities. Unscrupulous manufacturers often add chicory, rye, and barley to the powder;
- Only when using beans ground immediately before brewing will you be able to obtain a rich, maximally aromatic drink. With prolonged contact with oxygen, essential oils volatilize;
- it will be possible to select the optimal degree of grinding, taking into account the brewing method;
- the ability to examine the beans, make sure there are no defects, and create blends with Robusta and Arabica coffee in the appropriate ratio.
Water
To obtain perfect coffee, use only pure water without any impurities. Regular one from the tap will not work. Preference should be given to filtered, spring or bottled.
Spices
To make the drink unusual, various spices are added to it:
- vanilla;
- cinnamon;
- black pepper;
- carnation;
- garlic.
Ginger root adds spice. Exotic lovers may like star anise as a supplement. Sea salt, walnuts and hazelnuts are also popular additions. Sugar can be replaced with honey if desired.
Coffee with pepper
Carnation
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Lifehacks and barista secrets
The lifehacks and barista secrets below will help you make coffee faster, tastier and more economically. Some things are obvious, others are not so easy to guess.
1. During free time from work, pitchers should be stored in the refrigerator , then the milk in them will be better whipped. If the pitcher remains hot after preparing the drink, you can add cold milk to it and immediately put it in the refrigerator.
2. Glasses, on the contrary, should be as hot as possible. Of course, except when making iced coffee or milkshakes. It is convenient to place one glass of each size at the front edge of the coffee machine, so they will heat up quickly and will be more convenient to take.
3. If you work on a two-group coffee machine, and the flow of people is not very large, it is optimal to use only one group , then the second one will not have to be washed in the evening.
4. Holders (horns) must always be inserted into the group and be warmed up. Before grinding the beans, the holder should be wiped with a napkin to cool it slightly and prevent the coffee from burning.
5. It is better to add syrups and sugar to a glass rather than to milk before whipping. Then the milk from the pitcher will not have to be poured out after preparing the drink. In this case, the drink must be stirred.
6. But it is better to add sour (berry) syrups to cold milk , this will prevent the drink from curdling when whipped.
7. The barista should have a clean toothpick on hand ; it will help make a beautiful design on the coffee, even if the traditional heart when pouring milk was not successful.
8. It is advisable to check with the buyer how sweet the drink is needed and add sugar yourself , quickly stirring with a spoon. This will help preserve the stirrers and speed up the queue.
9. You can prepare two small cappuccinos at the same time using a double holder , this is faster than filling a single one twice.
10. If you make an additional hole in a milk carton with a knife or scissors, the milk will flow smoothly and without splashing.
11. To wipe the holders, it is enough to use only two or three napkins a day , if you have a special container for napkins near the area where the coffee is shaken out. It is economical and environmentally friendly.
12. Cupholders are usually worn for particularly hot drinks : Americano and tea. A standard cappuccino, even in a single-layer glass, should not burn your hand.
13. If you charge customers only after preparing the drink, the likelihood of purchasing related products increases.
14. Baristas usually have lunch close to their workplace. If you don’t have a microwave, you can heat your food using a coffee machine . The food will heat up in about an hour.
15. A regular paint brush or any brush is perfect for brushing coffee off the temping mat and coffee grinder stand .
16. On all opened packages , except standard milk and cream, it is necessary to write the date of opening in order to control the expiration date. This is not only a life hack, but also a requirement of Rospotrebnadzor.
17. If the guest ordered espresso, it is recommended to also serve a glass of clean water. Water will help cleanse your taste buds before drinking the drink.
If you know more life hacks and secrets that baristas use, feel free to write them in the comments.
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Coffee with spices and butter
You can brew aromatic coffee at home even better than in a coffee shop. To do this, you need to add your favorite spices and butter to the drink, which gives the drink a mild taste. For preparation you will need:
- 4 tsp. ground coffee;
- 350 ml water;
- 1 tsp. butter;
- 1/2 cinnamon stick.
Pour ground coffee beans and a cinnamon stick into the bottom of the Turk, then add water and put on fire. You can additionally use spices such as cardamom, ginger, nutmeg. After boiling, remove the pan from the heat, and when the foam subsides, heat it again to a boil. Put butter in coffee, and after dissolving it, filter the drink, pour into cups and serve. You can put the oil directly into the cup.
For those with a sweet tooth, it's best to add a little sugar to your coffee. You can add 1 tsp. cane sugar at the cooking stage, pouring it into the bottom of the Turk to heat for a few seconds. The crystals caramelize and acquire a unique taste and aroma. In this case, the coffee turns out incredibly tasty.
Enjoy your coffee!
And remember that there is always room for experimentation - try different grains, change the grind size or water temperature. AeroPress, like Vietnamese coffee, can be prepared over ice, so you get an aromatic and refreshing drink. Try an alternative Aeropress Coffee recipe. Read about other brewing methods in our articles.
Life hack: The AeroPress is very easy to clean - remove the black cover, press the piston all the way and throw out the “pill”.
Convenient coffee machine
Most often, in good coffee shops, coffee is made in a carob coffee machine - this is a rather cumbersome device for which you need to separately buy a coffee grinder, a special press for tamping ground coffee and other auxiliary tools. But there’s no need for one at home: modern home coffee machines grind beans themselves and prepare drinks no worse than a barista, and require minimal effort from you.
When choosing a coffee machine, focus on its power (how quickly your coffee will be ready depends on it), the volume of the water tank and ease of operation. Using Miele coffee machines is as simple as possible: decide on the desired drink, select its image on the screen and get your coffee. You can choose the degree of grinding, the amount of coffee and water, and the brewing temperature to get the perfect drink according to your own recipe. For avid coffee lovers and coffee drinkers, the company has a unique OneTouch for Two function, which allows you to prepare two drinks at once with one click. This is not the only nice feature of Miele coffee machines: the CupSensor function, for example, avoids spilling and ensures the ideal coffee temperature, regulates the distance from the cup to the nozzle, automatically raising the nozzle so as not to spoil the lush milk foam. And with the AutoDescale feature, the device is automatically descaled using a cartridge on the back of the device - every day at a time of your choice.
A stylish coffee machine can decorate even a small kitchen. Built-in devices are suitable for small spaces - and you won’t have to give up functionality. For example, built-in Miele coffee machines fit into a 45 cm high niche and are equipped with the ComfortDoor system: the front door opens completely, providing easy access to the liquid tray, water container and containers for beans and coffee grounds. Fans of lattes and cappuccinos will appreciate the EasyClick milk dispensing system, which simplifies the preparation of their favorite drinks: the milk container is easily installed at the front of the built-in coffee machine and just as easily removed. Free-standing coffee machines are also not bulky: pay attention to Miele models from the CM6, CM7 series and especially the most compact CM5 - they are suitable for the smallest kitchen.
Homemade cappuccino in French press
Cappuccino is a popular Italian coffee drink with the addition of foamed milk. Coffee shops offer different versions of it. If you have a French press at home, you can make your own cappuccino. For this you will need:
- 4 tbsp. l. ground coffee;
- 350 ml water.
Coffee needs to be poured into a French press, pour boiling water over it and let it brew for 5 minutes, then lower the piston and pour the drink into cups, without adding to about half the volume. Heat the milk, beat with a blender or mixer until a thick foam forms without large bubbles. If it is not possible to use such household appliances, you can pour milk into a French press, lower the piston to this level, and then start moving it up and down until foam forms.
Pour the frothed milk into coffee cups and serve the drink. You can also use cream in this recipe. They are easier to beat and the foam is denser.
Cinnamon coffee with cocoa
By gradually adding water, the drink becomes thick and rich, and the cinnamon removes any remaining bitterness.
You will need:
- Glass of milk or water
- Tablespoon cocoa mixture with sugar
- Teaspoon of coffee
- Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
Bring the liquid to a temperature of 80-90 degrees – air bubbles should sometimes appear in it. Mix all the dry ingredients in a cup and gradually add heated water or milk to them - first a spoon at a time, until the components are completely mixed, then increase the amount of liquid.
Certified Qualified Baristas
In Russia, the local branch of the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) organization has the greatest authority in barista certification. Only about two dozen Russian professionals have an SCA certificate. The quantity, frankly speaking, is small. Such people not only know how to prepare delicious coffee professionally, but also have proven qualifications to teach other coffee experts. Of course, having an SCA-certified specialist on staff is a great competitive advantage that any coffee shop can be proud of.
Honey raf
Sweet and rich coffee with milk.
You will need:
- Coffee – 2 tsp;
- Water – 100 grams;
- Milk – 150 grams;
- Honey – 20 grams.
Pour coffee into the pot, heat it up and fill it with water. Brew coffee, strain and pour into a cup. Add honey and stir. Heat the milk and whisk until fluffy. Pour the milk into the coffee and serve the drink.
Quality coffee
As a rule, large coffee shops make their own signature blend - a unique mixture of different types of coffee, which is available only from them. So if you want to replicate the exact taste of a drink from your favorite cafe, just buy a blend from your barista.
If you intend to create your own formula for the perfect coffee, you will have to choose your own beans. First, decide which type is closer to you - Arabica with a slight bitterness and sour aftertaste, rich bitter Robusta, or a mix of the two. The more varieties you test, the better: Arabica, for example, differs depending on where it is grown. The Brazilian one has a nutty aroma, the Indian one has a chocolate flavor.
If you have decided on the variety, choose the degree of roasting. Fans of strong ristretto should like the strongest one, Italian, and lovers of sweet notes should like Viennese. Scandinavian roasting is considered the lightest - these beans produce a soft and delicate drink.
There is a third way - if you don’t want to choose for a long time, buy the variety that is recommended for your coffee machine. Miele, for example, has its own coffee variety, Miele Black Edition N°1, a blend of four South American Arabica varieties. It is ideal for Miele coffee machines: it can be used to make an excellent ristretto or a delicate drink with milk.
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