Coffee Making - Barista - DOit.television

There is nothing nicer than the smell of coffee in the morning; the wonderfully rich aroma will perk any person up.

A shot of coffee is a thick liquid that has a dark oily layer on top which is called crema. A layer of crema is necessary for a great coffee and this is where all the heavenly aromas lie. A shot of coffee drunk as is, is called an espresso. Hot milk which has been frothed can be added in various proportions to make various types of coffee from a macchiato, cappuccino, flat white or latte.

There are many variables that affect the taste of the coffee. Follow the tips below and you are sure to master the ultimate coffee.

Making the Coffee

- Clean away any old coffee residue as this will affect the taste of next coffee.
- Turn on the coffee machine and preheat it. As well preheat the coffee cups, filter and filter holder.
- Fill the machine with cold clean water - don't use bad water this will affect the taste of the coffee.

Grind the coffee
Freshly ground roasted coffee beans are essential to making a great cup of coffee. So invest in a good quality grinder and fresh beans. When you grind the beans make sure it is ground evenly and is free of chunks. Also be careful not too grind the beans too thin (as this may clog the filter). If you grind more coffee than you will use, the excess can be stored in an air tight container and refrigerated. The quality of this coffee will keep for a few weeks but will loose its aroma and flavour over time.

Fill the filter
Add a scoop of coffee to the filter and level it off with your finger. Press lightly on the coffee with a tamper, allowing any extra grinds to fall to the side. Tap on the coffee with a little more pressure and keep the coffee evenly packed with a smooth surface. A firmly packed filter will increase the resistance to hot water and allows the best flavours and aromas to be extracted.

Lock the filter into the machine and set the machine to the correct settings. Push start, wait and your espresso is done!
A good machine will make a 30ml shot within 30 seconds and avoid coffee machines which use steam pressure (opposed to pumping water through the coffee) as these tend not to make as delicious coffees.

If you intend to froth the milk, set aside the coffee with a saucer over cup.

Other types of coffee include:

Macchiato which has a small dollop of frothed milk on top the espresso.
Flat white has two thirds of milk without any froth.
Latte has about two thirds of milk with froth on the top.
Cappuccino is like a latte but with extra froth and chocolate powder on top!

Frothing the milk
Steam is used to heat and froth milk. Before using the steamer turn it on to let out any water trapped in the nozzle. The nozzle of the steamer heats up very quickly, you can use a damp cloth to adjust the nozzle's height without burning yourself.

Fill the jug with cold milk and put the nozzle close to the bottom of the jug, turn the steam valve on. Slowly lower the jug drawing the nozzle closer to the surface of the milk. Bringing the nozzle just out from the milk surface will produce bubbles of air, a few of these are nice but too many will make the milk overly airy. If you position it right (and it will take some practice) the milk will move in a whirlpool motion and grows with the amount of air added.

You can use a thermometer to gauge how hot the milk is, around 65 degrees is a great temperature. Try different temperatures to see what your perfect fit is but as general rule don't go over 75 degrees. You don't want the milk to boil or burn. Turn off the steamer and bang the jug lightly to remove any large bubbles. You can swirl the jug around for a bit or mix the milk froth with a spoon. Good milk froth should look glossy and smooth. When wobbled it doesn't tip over the edges, it stays together.

Lastly use a large spoon to hold back froth and pour the desired milk into your coffee. Adding the froth last will keep it high and fluffy.

Importantly practice and you will soon discover how to make the ultimate coffee. Coffee courses are a great way of learning in a fun and friendly environment. Get your friends or family to join you and teach each other how to make your favourite coffees... so they don't get it wrong!

Links to check out for more information:
- The Sydney Coffee School

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