How many of you have ever thought, if only I could get coffee like this at home without all the hassle of leaving my kitchen? Well, you can! For Christmas, I was gifted a CasaBrews 20 Bar Espresso Maker with Milk Frother and LCD Panel. I was so surprised and excited, but where to start? I had brewed coffee for years, but never had I ever thought about brewing my own espresso or making my own cappuccino at home, those were things that lived in my mind for travel and special outings, not for the coziness of every day living! A lot of research and many Youtube videos later, I was able to craft my own brew from my kitchen and enjoy my latte in my PJs from my own kitchen. And now, you can too as I share with you, a quick guide to making a delicious espresso!
- What Items do I need other than the machine to get started and what are all the fancy parts?
- Espresso – if you visit a local coffee roaster, have them grind your beans to the espresso setting. This setting grinds the beans to a soft powder that will form the concentrate goodness that you want to craft. You can also buy a coffee grinder and grind your own coffee beans, but that is a next step I am looking forward to!
- Portafilter – this is a handled device that sticks out from the front of the machine that you fill with coffee grounds and then lock into the machine. Like a traditional coffee basket and filter in a traditional machine, it actually holds the espresso for the water to drip through.
- Distribution Tool – this little tool looks like a tiny whisk with needles coming out of it. It is used to gently break up any clumps in your espresso that might prevent the liquid goodness from forming.
- Tamper – my machine came with a tamper, but if yours does not, you will need to purchase one. This little tool will pack the espresso firmly into the portafilter for brewing. You want to make sure that your espresso is firmly packed to ensure the perfect brew, not too weak and not too bitter.
- Milk Frothing Pitcher – a metal (often stainless steel) container with a spout, used to steam milk into a smooth, velvety foam for a latte or cappuccino. The spout will help to control flow for precision to make the lovely art that you see baristas design on the top of lattes.
Now….let’s get brewing….
- Choose your filter for the portafilter. This machine came with four different filters for the espresso. Two of the filters, as shown in the bottom of this photo are for ground espresso that has been previously ground and bagged, like you would buy in a coffee roasting shop or the store. They have a built in filter system. The two on the top are those that are dual walled for when you grind your own beans and immediately make your espresso. Additionally, you will notice a size difference, for each of the two types, there is a double shot size (larger) and the smaller shot size (smaller). Just remember to make sure that the size of your filter in your portafilter matches the size of espresso (one shot or two) that you will be brewing.
2. Load your espresso into the portafilter and then use your distribution tool to work out any clumps, smoothing through your ground beans to ensure that they are even and free from any lumps or clumps. This also helps to remove any air pockets or bubbles within the portafilter.
3. Using your tamper, press down firmly on the coffee grounds inside the portafilter. The goal here is to create a dense, level puck so that the hot water can evenly distribute itself through the espresso to ensure full flavor. This leads to an even extraction process so that the flavor is rich and decadent. Uneven or unpressured tampering results in a weak flavored espresso with uneven flavor distribution. In essence, this little product helps you get your money’s worth of those expensive espresso beans. This pressured puck also provides density for the espresso machine to shoot water through the portafilter. Be sure to wipe any excess grounds away from the seal on the portafilter to ensure correct pressurization of the machine.
4. Place the portafilter onto the machine and then select the correct button on your machine for size and temperature. Here I am making a double shot and am using the default settings for temperature that came with the machine to ensure beginner’s luck! Also, be sure to either use a teacup or an espresso/latte cup as a regular coffee cup is too tall for the smaller portion size. Feel free to get yourself a fancy little cup to make yourself feel all fancy and bougie with your new coffee maker! This fancy little teacup came from Disneyworld and each time I use it, I think of fun times and travel! You want your coffee experience to be cozy, intimate, and bring you joy! A nice fancy little cup with your decadent coffee will do all that!
5. After your espresso is finished, it is time to froth your milk. Pour some milk into a frothing pitcher and then turn on the steam setting on your machine. It will alert you when it is ready to go. Put the frothing arm inside the pitcher just so that about 1/2 inch of the arm is covered so that when you turn the machine on the milk or cream will begin to steam, the goal here is to get a swirling action inside your frothing pitcher so that it turns the milk into a light frothy foam. This step takes anywhere from 35-50 seconds depending on your machine and how much milk/cream you are using. I have added store bought creamer to this step and although it doesn’t froth up completely, offers a little sweetness to my espresso. (Do not use a glass cup, this measuring cup is only used for demonstration purposes to see into the glass. Please use an actual stainless steel frothing pitcher for safety). Pour rich cream into your espresso and enjoy! And bonus points for making those cute swirly hearts on top!
Need some products to get started? Here is a few products from my Amazon list that will help!
- Ultimate Coffee Lovers Amazon List
- CasaBrews Espresso Machine 20 Bar
- Frothing Pitcher
- Tamper & Distribution Tool Set
- Stackable Espresso Cups
- Silicone Countertop Coffee Pad
*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from commissions from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.