How to Make Espresso: Easy Tips for Great Espresso Drinks

How to Make Espresso

Whether you need an espresso hit while working from home or you just don’t want to spend $5 on espresso drinks anymore, you need to read this.

You can learn how to make espresso at home, and you don’t need an espresso machine.

Those pretty, shiny espresso machines can cost anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars. Most of us don’t have the financial resources to invest in one of those fancy machines, but you can make espresso with one of your mid-level coffee makers at home.

There are three common ways to make espresso drinks without a home espresso machine.

If you already have a French Press, Moka Pot, or Aeropress, you can start making at-home espresso drinks.

What You’ll Need

Espresso drinks are delicate creations that require good measurements, so you will want to have a scale to measure your grounds (and a coffee grinder to grind up your espresso beans).

You’ll also need a kettle to heat up water and milk. If you don’t have a kettle, you can use the microwave to heat up liquids, but you will lose the precision that a kettle affords you.

And that’s it! With your espresso beans, a scale, a coffee grinder, and the best espresso beans, you are ready to begin learning how to make espresso without a machine.

Method #1: French Press Espresso

The French Press is a versatile coffee-making tool that most coffee lovers have in their kitchen. It’s easy to use, and any coffee fiend knows it makes a good cup of coffee.

Test out how it does with espresso next.

First, grind your coffee into very fine grounds. Use two tablespoons of beans for each cup of water you use.

Heat your water to about 195 degrees in a kettle. If you can’t measure the temperature easily, boil the water and then remove from heat for 30 seconds before adding the water.

Next, you can add the grounds to your French Press. Add splashes of hot water to the French Press now, allowing the grounds to bloom and release the oils. Pour in the rest of your hot water after the first few splashes.

Stir the coffee to mix well, and then close the lid. Let your grounds steep in the hot water for about four minutes (or longer, if you prefer stronger espresso). Slowly press the plunger down halfway, then raise the plunger.

Press it all the way down next, and your espresso is ready to be added to whatever latte or cappuccino you are making at home.

Method #2: Moka Pot

This method is not precise, but it produces a great espresso flavor all the same. If you have one of these at home, try this method for delicious espresso drinks.

Begin by measuring 1.5 tablespoons of beans and then grind them as finely as possible. Add 3.5 ounces of water to the Moka Pot, which you will heat to 200 degrees. Moka Pots have built-in filters where you place the coffee grounds.

Don’t let your water and coffee mixture boil – instead, let it simmer. Let the coffee expand and foam in the upper level, as the hot water creates the pressure you need to make concentrated coffee and foam.

When the top of your Moka Pot fills with coffee, stir the liquid and then pour into a small coffee cup. You can add steamed or foamy milk to make the drinks you love then.

Method #3: Aeropress

In this process, start by making strong coffee in your Aeropress, while making sure that you don’t dilute the coffee with any water.

To make your milk frothy like a café, pour milk into a jar and screw the cap on tightly. Shake the milk hard until you notice the milk is frothy. It will have doubled in volume within a minute of shaking. You’ll then microwave the milk, uncovered, for 30 seconds.

Pour your steaming milk into the espresso, using a spoon to hold back the milk foam. Pour as much milk as you want into your espresso. A perk of making your own espresso drinks is that you can make your drink to your personal taste.

You can then add the milk foam if you want, and then you can get fancy with some cocoa powder or nutmeg. And then simply relax and enjoy your at-home espresso.

Enjoy Your Homemade Espresso Drinks

Now that you have learned how to make espresso at home, you can enjoy any drink that you usually reserve for a café trip.

No more waiting until you’re out of the house for your caffeine – or drinking espresso you don’t like.

Use one of these methods and you’ll be enjoying your own espresso in no time.

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