Brewing the Perfect Cup: A Beginner's Guide to Making Coffee at Home

 

So! You wanna make amazing coffee at home? We gotcha covered.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make a flat white coffee like a pro barista!

Ingredients and Equipment

Here's what you need to have on hand:

• Freshly roasted coffee beans
• Espresso machine with a steam wand
• Milk jug
• Shot glass with measurements
• Coffee grinder

Step 1

Preheat and prepare your equipment:

• Make sure your espresso machine is warm, and run the group head for a couple of seconds to flush out any residual water that may be sitting in there.
• Warm your coffee cup (if it hasn't been sitting on top of your espresso machine) by rinsing it with hot water to prevent temperature loss. Dry and set on top of your machine to stay warm.

Step 2

Grind and dose your coffee:

• Grind a double shot of espresso into your portafilter basket.
• Use approximately 18-20 grams of freshly ground coffee for a double shot.

Need help getting your grind right? Find our blog post about grind here.

Step 3

Extract your espresso shot:

• Distribute the ground coffee evenly in your portafilter and tamp it down firmly (30 pounds of pressure is ideal).
• Purge your group head to stabilise the brew temperature 
• Lock your portafilter into the group head of your espresso machine and start the extraction by turning the group head on.
• Aim for a shot time of around 25-30 seconds, with a target yield of 30-40ml of espresso.
• Remove your portafilter and dump the spent coffee puck. Rinse your portafilter basket and group head, before returning it to the group head.
• Gently tip your espresso shot into your coffee cup.

Step 4

Texture your milk:

• Pour cold, fresh milk into your milk jug, filling it about one-third full.
• Purge the steam wand for about one second. Submerge the steam wand just below the milk surface and turn it on, positioning the wand slightly off-centre.
• Texturize your milk by slowly moving your jug down as the milk expands (this is called stretching), creating a velvety microfoam. Aim for a glossy and creamy texture.
• Once your milk has stretched to reach about two-thirds up your jug, submerge the steam wand lower into the milk so that it starts heating (rather than just stretching).
• Keep an eye on the milk temperature using your hand or a thermometer and aim for around 65°C.

Step 5

Pour your milk into your espresso shot:

• Give your milk pitcher a few gentle taps to remove any large bubbles and swirl or gently rock it to achieve a smooth texture.
• Hold your milk pitcher with one hand and your coffee cup with the other.
• Position your milk pitcher slightly above your coffee cup and start pouring the textured milk into the centre of the shot.
• As your cup fills up, gradually lower the pitcher and maintain a controlled flow to create a well-integrated mixture.

Step 6

Serve and enjoy!

• Enjoy your flat white while it's still hot and savour the professional barista experience.

Remember, practice is key to perfecting your technique. Experiment with different coffee beans, milk ratios, and pour speeds to achieve the desired flavor and texture. With time and experience, you'll be creating delicious flat whites just like a pro!