How to Make an Espresso at Home

No morning is complete without a delicious cup of coffee. Early risers need their caffeine shot before they can start their day, and they need a strong shot of caffeine, some more than others. Heading out to a coffee shop is always an option, but what if there's no enough time to go out for your morning coffee? You will have no choice but to make your own cup of coffee at home, but not to worry, you don't need a fancy coffee machine for that.

1. Selecting the right type of coffee

Even with DeLonghi coffee machines in Sri Lanka, you cannot make a good espresso if you don't find the right kind of coffee. Ideally, you need a darker roast to make espresso; however, it isn't necessary to find a coffee meant for espresso. There's a wide variety of coffee out there; the best blends usually balance the taste. You can use whatever coffee you like, but make sure it's fresh – this does not mean that you have to have freshly ground coffee, but depending on the way it's packed, the coffee grounds should be used within two weeks of roasting. If you want to grind and roast coffee and make your own unique cup, a vendor like Fits Retail might cater to your requirement.

2. Grinding and measuring

For the perfect cup of coffee, you need the right amount of coffee grounds. You can use a scale to make sure that you have the right dose of coffee. For a double shot, you need nearly 18 grams of coffee.

3. Milk

If you want to add milk to your coffee, you should go for full-fat cow's milk, but you can also opt for soy, almond or oat milk.

4. French press method

You need a French press to make coffee this way. A French press is nothing fancy; it is a coffee making device with a handle, a cylinder and a plunger that comes with a mesh strainer. You can use dark roast coffee beans or espresso coffee beans; the choice is yours. To make the espresso, place finely ground coffee beans in the French press and add a bit of hot water so that the coffee will begin releasing its oils. Allow the coffee beans to sit for at least four minutes; if you want the coffee to be stronger, leave it for a couple more minutes. To get the coffee out, you can put the plunger into the cylinder and press it down with even pressure.

5. AeroPress method

This is another way of making espresso at home. To make coffee using the AeroPress method, you need an AeroPress, good quality coffee beans, a scale and a grinder. First, grind the coffee into a table-salt like consistency and put the ground coffee into the filter. If this is your first-time making coffee using an AeroPress, you can add a bit more coffee than the recommended amount; this may give you a stronger brew of coffee. Add three ounces of heated water and stir the coffee with the water. Once the coffee is thoroughly mixed with the water, you can press it down using the plunger- keep in mind that espresso is all about how much pressure you put in when pressing down the coffee.

6. The Moka Pot

The Moka pot might not give you the perfect cup of espresso, but it makes a stronger brew similar to espresso. You will need good coffee beans, a Moka pot and a scale. Take about two tablespoons of coffee and grind them finely. Put the coffee in a pot and add three ounces of hot water. You need to place the pot of coffee on a burner with medium heat. Your coffee is ready when the pot starts making foam.