espresso - FoodNerdy Recipes Management System

You want to prepare the perfect espresso: full-bodied and with a fine crema. But how do you manage that? Do as the Italians do – and stick to the four M-rules. We tell you what is behind it and how to make espresso so that it tastes like in Bella Italia.

Espresso: elixir of life and science

Espresso is not only the elixir of life for the Italians, but also a science in itself. In the motherland of the “caffè”, the little black dress, which is popular all over the world, even got its own institute: the Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano has a firm eye on the quality of typical Italian coffee and even has a formula for how the perfect espresso works. These are the ideal conditions:

6.5 to 7.5 g espresso powder
20 to 30 ml of water
86 to 90 degrees Celsius temperature
9 bar pressure
25 to 30 seconds brewing process
Apart from that, it depends on the following four M:

La Miscela – The Mixture
La Macinatura – The Grinding
La Macchina – The Machine
La Mano – The Hand

1. La Miscela – The Mixture

The quality of the espresso stands and falls with the bean. Lovers of a balanced, aromatic taste prefer a high proportion of Arabica beans. Robusta beans are the ultimate for friends of a strong espresso. This intense little black dress is particularly popular in southern Italy. In any case, the fresher the beans, the tastier the coffee. So it is better to buy small quantities and more often than to have large stocks at home.
An espresso bean is roasted more intensively and longer than a normal coffee bean. Therefore, it is typically very dark brown and has a soft sheen. The reason: when roasting for a long time, the aromatic oils escape. This also makes the bean more intense in taste.

2. La Macinatura – The Grinding

Would you like to grind the beans for your espresso yourself? A good idea: Because it doesn’t get any fresher! In order to achieve the best possible result, it is best to afford an espresso grinder with a disc grinder or conical grinder. Both produce homogeneous powder. Specimens with fly knives are less suitable, they chop the beans too unevenly, and the aroma is wasted.
In addition to the right grinder, the degree of grinding is important. It largely determines the taste of the little black dress. If the beans are ground too coarsely, the espresso will be too watery. If the degree of grinding is set too fine, it will become very dark and bitter. Just play around with the different options until you are satisfied with the result. If you are unsure, you can of course use already ground espresso beans.

3. La Macchina – The Machine

First of all, if you want to prepare real espresso, you need a portafilter machine. Because only it brews with the ideal water pressure of 9 bar. These machines are now available in all price ranges. You should pay particular attention to two things when buying: On the one hand, the machine must offer constant pressure and a constant water temperature. In addition, it should be easy to clean. Because old, rotten powder is a taste killer and also not harmless to health.
Tip: You should throw away the first two to three cups from a cleaned machine, they are pretty much undrinkable. The more coffee that runs through the machine, the better it gets. That’s why espresso tastes so good in Italian workers’ bars: a few hundred cups are served there every day.
Even if it is often confused: the Italian term “espresso” does not mean “fast”. There are two explanations. On the one hand the meaning “specifically” or “expressly”. In its early years, the little black beer was only brewed in a few bars and upon express request. The wake-up call, originally called “caffè espresso”, was a coffee “expressly or specially prepared” for the guest. Another explanation relates to the then new preparation with steam and brings espresso in connection with steam locomotives – also known as express trains at the time.

Incidentally, espresso was invented around 1900 in Milan. Incidentally, the Italians themselves usually simply call the pick-me-up “caffè”.

4. La Mano – The Hand

The quality of the beans and the equipment used is of course important. But the final touches of your perfect espresso are in your hands – and that should be taken literally. Take enough time to prepare the espresso. Warm the cup. Put the ground espresso powder in the portafilter and press it into the brewing sieve with the tamper, a kind of stamp. Feeling is called for here: if you press too hard, the water will flow too slowly when brewing. If you press too lightly, it will flow too quickly. It is ideal if the espresso first dribbles into the cup and the subsequent jet is reminiscent of a mouse’s tail.

The perfect espresso: balanced and with a fine crema

What characteristics should the perfect espresso have? Its aroma should be balanced and leave a pleasant aftertaste after drinking. The crema is also clearly a quality criterion. It should be between three and four millimeters thick, light brown in color and stable for three to four minutes. After dipping the spoon, it should close slightly again.

Cooking Tips

Coffee Crema: The Adornment of a Good Espresso

A well-done coffee crema can be found on a correctly prepared, fresh espresso and makes you look forward to the perfect coffee just by looking at it. It stands for the quality of the coffee and the skillful preparation in equal measure.

With a good espresso, the crema settles by itself, so it is not poured onto the coffee. Ideally, it is light brown, thick and a few millimeters high. It is created by the oil in the coffee bean, which rises to the top after preparation. In addition to the coffee beans, carbon dioxide, proteins and sugar bind to form a velvety, fine consistency.

Connoisseurs swear by a good crema that it holds a teaspoon of sugar for about 3 seconds before the sugar settles to the bottom. The crema should then close completely on the surface. The settling of the coffee crema on the surface is particularly visible when the espresso is served in a glass. Then you can see how fine bubbles form, which collect on the surface to form a golden-brown layer. The finer the bubbles settle, the higher the quality of the crema. In the best case, a kind of hood forms on the espresso in which you can hardly see the individual bubbles.

The bean used for the espresso is decisive for the consistency of the coffee crema. With an Arabica bean, the crema becomes finer and lighter, it is velvety. With espresso made from Robusta beans, or with a proportion of Robusta beans, the crema becomes thicker and firmer, so it stays on the surface longer.

Different ways of preparing the coffee crema

There is no crema on a normal filter coffee, as this is only created by pressure during preparation. The higher the pressure, the better the coffee crema. With a classic espresso maker, this is not ideal because the water pressure is not high enough. That’s why espresso makers are now available with a special crema valve that ensures perfect coffee enjoyment all round. In fully automatic coffee machines that are filled with whole beans, or with pad and capsule machines, you can prepare a good coffee crema at the touch of a button. With high-quality portafilter machines, very high pressure of nine to ten bar is generated and the crema is correspondingly good with this professional method of preparation, in which the coffee only dribbles slightly at first and then flows into the cup with an even stream. This guarantees the perfect crema.

The characteristics of a perfect coffee crema

The crema is a quality criterion for the coffee and connoisseurs can tell whether the coffee is fresh or the beans are a bit older by its colour, consistency, dwell time on the coffee and the quantity. The fresher the coffee, the better the coffee crema. And the color also provides information: If the crema is very dark, then the water was too hot during the brewing process or the beans were ground too finely. On the other hand, if the color is too light, then the beans were prepared too quickly and with too cold water, or the beans were too old and ground too coarsely. If the coffee crema dissolves quickly, then too little pressure was brewed – however, the espresso cup may also have been too hot or too cold. In general, the ground coffee should be fresh, the amount must be right and it should be brewed with a water temperature of 90 to 95° C and a pressure of nine to ten bar – then nothing can go wrong. In terms of color, the ideal crema should have a beautiful golden-brown tone.
With fully automatic coffee machines, pad and capsule machines, the crema is created by additional valves that froth the coffee. A good crema completes the pleasurable experience when drinking an espresso, because it ensures a harmonious and velvety overall impression.

Cooking Tips

Perfect Espresso Crema: That’s What Matters!

The crema is the crowning glory of every espresso. It should be light brown, dense and a few millimeters high. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always succeed. Sometimes the espresso has too much crema, sometimes not enough. Sometimes the crema is too light, sometimes too dark.

This characterizes a perfect espresso crema

A successful crema can be found on correctly prepared, fresh espresso and, just looking at it, makes you look forward to perfect enjoyment. It stands equally for the quality of the coffee and a skilful preparation.

With a good espresso, the crema settles by itself, so it is not poured onto the coffee. Ideally, it is light brown, thick and a few millimeters high. Connoisseurs swear by a good crema that it holds a teaspoon of sugar for about 3 seconds before the sugar settles to the bottom. The crema should then close completely on the surface.

The settling of the crema on the surface is particularly visible when the espresso is served in a glass. Then you can see how fine bubbles form, which collect on the surface to form a golden-brown layer of foam. The finer the bubbles settle, the higher the quality of the crema. In the best case, a kind of hood forms on the espresso in which the individual bubbles can hardly be seen.

How is the crema formed on the espresso?

Thanks to the high pressure of the espresso machine, coffee oils, proteins and sugar are released from the powder. They rise to the top and combine to form a dense foam with a velvety fine consistency.

Which machine brews the perfect espresso crema?

Crema is created by pressure during preparation, which is why it is not found on filter coffee. The higher the pressure of the machine, the better the crema succeeds. An overview of the different preparation methods for espresso crema:

Espresso maker: Crema cannot be formed with the classic version because the water pressure is not high enough. That’s why there are now espresso makers with a special crema valve that ensures perfect coffee enjoyment all round.
Fully automatic coffee machine: high-quality machines create a good crema at the touch of a button. But not every machine is equally good: cheap versions produce the crema through a valve that only foams the coffee.
Pad or capsule machines: These machines also deliver espresso with dense, crema-like foam at the touch of a button. Like some fully automatic machines, they have additional valves that foam the coffee.
Portafilter machines: They generate a very high pressure of nine to ten bar. Therefore, the crema for your coffee is perfect with these machines – and nothing is foamed here!
In general, the crema is a quality criterion for the coffee. Connoisseurs can tell whether the coffee is fresh or the beans are a bit older by their consistency, colour, dwell time on the coffee and the quantity. The fresher the coffee, the better the crema.

The bean used for the espresso is decisive for the consistency of the crema. With an Arabica bean, the crema becomes finer and lighter, it is velvety. With espresso made from Robusta beans, or with a proportion of Robusta beans, the crema is denser and firmer, so it stays on the surface longer.

Espresso crema too light? That’s the reason!

The color also provides information about the quality of the coffee. If the crema is too light, the coffee was probably made too quickly and with water that was too cold. Another reason may be that the beans used were too old and ground too coarsely. On the other hand, if the crema is very dark, then the water was too hot during the brewing process or the beans were ground too finely.

If the crema dissolves quickly, then too little pressure was used during brewing – or the espresso cup was too cold or too hot.

The most important factors for a beautiful crema

In order to create a nice crema, the following points should be right:

The ground coffee should be fresh. The aroma is best three weeks to three months after roasting. You can tell when this has taken place by the roasting date on the pack.
The degree of grinding also plays an important role.
The amount has to be right. For example, if you fill your portafilter machine with too little powder, the crema will be less dense.
The water temperature has to be right. It should be around 90 to 95°C.
The pressure should be about nine to ten bar.

Cooking Tips

Caffeine: Is There More in an Espresso or in a Mocha Coffee?

Whenever you talk about caffeine in coffee, a discussion between very different positions develops: there are always those who claim that a cup of espresso contains more caffeine than the same amount of mocha coffee, and then there are those who say the opposite claiming and thinking that an americano is the lightest in terms of amount of caffeine and so on.

The existence of such conflicting opinions gives the impression that there are no universal answers. However, surprise, there does exist a ranking that ranks coffees based on average caffeine levels, and we’re here to illustrate it.

Before you find out if it’s true that espresso has more caffeine than mocha because it’s more flavorful — or if it’s true that caffè americano has less caffeine than any other, we need to take a step back and talk about coffee types.

1. Different coffee, different caffeine content

Let’s talk about types of coffee, because depending on the type of coffee (Arabica or Robusta), the caffeine content changes.

In fact, Robusta coffee contains twice to three times the amount of caffeine compared to Arabica coffee.

Another aspect that influences not only the ultimate taste of coffee (we talked about the importance of coffee roasting), but also the amount of caffeine in it, is the roast.

The more intensely the coffee is roasted, the darker the beans become and the caffeine content decreases, quite the opposite of what usually comes to mind with a very dark coffee.

Last but not least, the degree of grinding of the coffee used is crucial.

The degree of grinding has an effect on the amount of caffeine, since water penetrates with greater or lesser difficulty depending on the fineness of the coffee powder, resulting in a more or less strong concentration of caffeine in the drink.

2. How much caffeine is there in a cup of espresso compared to a cup of mocha coffee and the same amount of caffè americano?

The way the drink is prepared also affects the caffeine content.

Two cups of coffee, one prepared with the mocha machine and the other with the espresso machine, differ in their caffeine content by 20 to 90 mg.

A cup of mocha coffee contains around 100 to 150 mg of caffeine. In comparison, there are only 60 to 80 mg in a cup of espresso.

And the coffee americano? A cup of about 250 ml of Caffè Americano has practically the same caffeine content as a cup of mocha coffee.

In short, it is wrong to assume that espresso coffee contains more caffeine than mocha coffee – as far as the Americano is concerned, it is certainly the least caffeinated for the same cup size.

However, when the classic glass or coffee pot is used, things change because, by cup size, American coffee ranks alongside mocha coffee at the top of the caffeine content rankings!

Food

Lungo, Ristretto, Macchiato and Co: 10 Popular Espresso Variants

You know espresso, café latte and cappuccino. But what is a ristretto? And what exactly do you need to order if you want to try a shot espresso or over ice? Mamis Caffè introduces you to ten delicious espresso variants. With this knowledge, you can master the drinks menu on your next holiday in Italy like an expert.

Italians don’t drink espresso, they drink coffee – at any time of the day or night. Whether on the go at the bar, after a meal in the restaurant or at home fresh from the stove, the quick pick-me-up is omnipresent. To ensure that there is something suitable for every taste and every occasion, various variations have developed from the classic espresso. So many that even connoisseurs lose track of things.

1. Ristretto

Strong, stronger ristretto. The ristretto is even smaller and stronger than the classic espresso. The same amount of ground coffee is prepared with less water. This is how the shortened or “narrowed”, almost viscous version of the caffè is created.

2. Doppio

After a long night in Rome, you order a caffé doppio, the double espresso, the next morning. It’s quite simply double the amount.

3. Lungs

The lungo is basically the counterpart to the ristretto, a lengthened espresso. The same amount of ground coffee is prepared with more water and served in a correspondingly larger cup.

4. Americano

The caffé americano is a double espresso that is diluted with water. Unlike the lungo, the additional water does not go into the machine, but is added afterwards. Professionals fill a cappuccino cup two-thirds full with hot water and pour the double espresso straight from the machine on top.

5. Coffee macchiato

Beware of confusion: The Caffè macchiato is an espresso with milk froth, which you drink from a small espresso cup. The latte macchiato is much better known in Germany. In this version, an espresso is poured into a large glass of frothed milk, creating the well-known three layers of coffee, milk and milk froth.

6. Corretto

If the Italians want to fix or “correct” their caffè, that means a strong sip of hard liquor. For the Corretto, an espresso is refined with grappa, cognac, amaretto or sambuca. Do you have a special preference? Then order the right spirit right away with: “Caffè corretto con Amaretto, prego.”

7. Coffee freddo

Espresso also tastes cold. A caffè freddo is a chilled, heavily sweetened espresso served in a tall glass with ice cubes. Tip: professionals pour the fresh espresso directly onto the ice cubes. If it cools down too slowly, the coffee can become bitter.

8. Bicerin

Now chocolate comes into play. Bicerin is the right variant for cocoa lovers: Here, a hot chocolate is refined with espresso. The basis is milk and bitter cocoa powder, the drink is sweetened and served with a little cream or milk foam.

9. Morocco

For a Maroccino, liquid chocolate is poured into a glass, followed by the espresso, topped with a little frothed milk and cocoa powder.

10. Coffee moca

Another chocolaty coffee specialty is the Caffè moca. To do this, an espresso is mixed with twice the amount of hot milk and cocoa or liquid chocolate. The moca also tastes best with a topping of cream or milk foam.

Curious? Don’t wait until your next vacation in Italy. With high-quality coffee beans from Italy, you can make an aromatic espresso at home, which forms the ideal basis for your new favorite drink.

Food

What Makes a Good Espresso?

Espresso – you should know that

Espresso is, if you will, the bedrock of coffee. A variety of coffee specialties such as cappuccino or latte macchiato are based on it. Anyone who regularly uses an espresso machine or is at least considering buying an espresso machine knows the strong aroma and intense taste that characterizes espresso.

But how do you make a really good espresso and how do you recognize that such a masterpiece of coffee art is in front of you? Of course, as the saying goes, there is no arguing about taste. Nevertheless, we have summarized a few tips for you that will help you to recognize a good espresso.

The eye drinks too – visual references to a good espresso

You can find the first signs by looking closely at the espresso. The espresso should have a 2 to 3 mm high and dense crema that has a nice, hazelnut-like colour. An inferior espresso can be recognized by light-colored, light foam with large air bubbles – in this case, the expert speaks of under-extraction.

But the other extreme is also possible, namely when the foam is very dark. Then the espresso is over-extracted. The ultimate test: sprinkle sugar on the crema. If the sugar sinks slowly and the crema forms again afterwards, you have a good espresso in front of you.

Hmmm…taste!

Now comes the taste test for a good espresso: the taste of the coffee should be characterized by strength and richness. The taste is aromatic, full-bodied, slightly sweet on the tongue and lingers on the nose for a long time. The aroma typical of espresso, which is created by the roasting process, accompanies the connoisseur from the first sip to the last sip.

Blends of Robusta and Arabica beans or pure Arabica coffees are often used for espresso. The robusta coffee gives the espresso depth, while the arabica variety is responsible for the intensive aroma. Furthermore, flavor nuances such as chocolate, vanilla or cocoa can be tasted in an exquisite espresso. Even citrus or fruit flavors are possible and make a high-quality espresso so special.

What temperature and grind can tell us about the espresso

A good espresso should definitely be served and drunk hot and not below 79°C. This is the only way that the various flavors and aromas can develop optimally. And since it looks weird sitting in a coffee shop with a thermometer in front of your espresso cup, only experience can give you a feel for the right temperature.

Incidentally, the professional drinks his espresso with two or three small sips in rapid succession. The degree of grinding of the beans can also give us information about the quality of an espresso: the powder must never be too coarse, as it only comes into contact with the hot water for a short time. The taste must be able to develop in this short time.

Are you now a full professional and would like to prepare a good espresso at home? With an espresso maker, the Italian coffee specialty can be easily prepared at home.

Good espresso from the espresso machine

Night owls and morning grouches value a good espresso as a quick pick-me-up – after all, with just a push of a button on the espresso machine, it brings an effective caffeine kick against all types of tiredness, midday slumps and overtime in the office. In about 25 seconds, espresso is pressed through the espresso machine or a portafilter machine at a pressure of around 9 bar.

In the process, caffeine and flavorings are released from the ground coffee in a different way than would be the case when brewing coffee, giving the espresso its peculiar taste. Of course, the degree of grinding and roasting of the coffee beans as well as the factors of water quality, type and condition of the espresso machine and the correct preparation also determine the end result of the espresso.

Good espresso from the espresso machine

In addition to the classic espresso, an espresso machine provides you with numerous other options: You can also easily select an espresso Doppio, which is prepared in double the amount (50ml). If you want a slightly lower caffeine concentration, it is best to ask for an espresso lungo, americano or a café crème: here the water content is increased to up to 50 to 120ml. The exact opposite is the ristretto: the water content is reduced to a total of around 15ml, while the amount of ground coffee through which the water is pressed remains the same. This results in a significantly higher concentration of caffeine – so if you need an energy boost, the ristretto will help you get back to peak performance.

You can enjoy many other creations with milk or other ingredients: With a dash of milk, the espresso from the espresso machine becomes an espresso macchiato, hot milk and milk froth make it a cappuccino, and in combination with hot chocolate, chocolate syrup and a cream topping, a mocha is created (also called Mochaccino). For the flat white, however, a simple espresso from the espresso machine is not enough, here you need a double (!) ristretto, which is then poured with milk froth in often artistic milk froth patterns (also known as “latte art”). You will notice: a good espresso is not only a pleasure in itself, you can use it to create many other delicacies.

Buying an espresso machine: is it worth it?

When people talk about buying an espresso machine, most of the time the conversation revolves around a portafilter machine. An espresso machine is equivalent to a fully automatic coffee machine. Both systems usually generate the required pressure of 9 bar to press the water through the finely ground espresso powder and to produce both classic espresso and the other variants mentioned.

Depending on which model of espresso machine is chosen, setting options and manual modules are given. An espresso machine often makes it easier to make coffee specialties from espresso with milk, while a portafilter machine does not necessarily have to be equipped with a milk foam system. However, anyone who appreciates the craft and is not afraid to do a few more things is also well advised to buy an espresso machine.

Food

Coffee and Espresso – What are the Differences?

After getting up, a cup of coffee is the best thing in the morning to wake up. But do you prefer regular coffee or would a strong espresso be a better choice? What exactly is the difference between coffee and espresso? It’s both coffee… isn’t it?

One bean – many differences! Coffee vs espresso

Even if at first glance these are just different ways of preparing our favorite bean, coffee and espresso have many differences. From the roasting time to the preparation: we will show you the differences between coffee and espresso!

Roasting time: Roasting has a huge impact on the inner workings of the beans. Espresso beans are much darker than coffee beans – and this also affects the development of the aroma. The longer the roasting lasts, the more acid is broken down within the bean. This is why espresso tastes milder than filter coffee. Coffee is roasted for about 10 to 15 minutes, espresso for 15 to 18 minutes and therefore significantly longer. Depending on the roast, the coffee bean is yellowish to medium brown. An espresso bean is dark brown and shiny because coffee oils escape during longer roasting.

Degree of grinding: The different degrees of grinding of coffee provide different results. For the preparation of filter coffee, depending on the method, choose a medium degree of grinding. Espresso powder is ground much finer than coffee powder.

Preparation: While the preparation of a filter coffee – whether machine or hand infusion – takes quite a long time (approx. 5 – 8 minutes), a maximum of 30 seconds are required for an espresso. The following applies to coffee: A cup of hot water dribbles through a spoonful of ground coffee in three to five minutes. The medium to coarse degree of grinding offers the water enough resistance for the long brewing time and can thus optimally combine with the acids, aromas and caffeine.

Espresso powder is ground much finer than coffee powder. With an espresso maker or a portafilter machine, the hot water is pressed through the espresso powder under high pressure for a short time. As the hot espresso runs into the cup, a creamy layer forms on the surface – the crema. The brewing temperature also differs: for coffee it is between 85°C and 91°C and for espresso it is approx. 92°C +/- 2°C.

Caffeine content: Let’s come to the most important difference between coffee and espresso – the caffeine content. At the same time, we uncover a myth here: espresso has, only relatively speaking, more caffeine than coffee. 100 ml of espresso contains over 100 mg of caffeine – in the same amount of coffee, on the other hand, there are just 80 mg. But it’s the amount you drink that counts: if you drink a whole cup of coffee, you’ll end up absorbing more caffeine than with a small cup of espresso.

Last but not least, coffee and espresso not only taste different – they also work differently. A cup of espresso tastes stronger than coffee because only a small amount of water (approx. 25 ml per espresso cup) is used. On the other hand, it contains fewer acids and is therefore easier on the stomach. This is not only due to the longer roasting, but also to the shorter brewing time.

Conclusion

The beans are the same, so the key difference between coffee and espresso is how long the beans roast. The different types of preparation, degree of grinding and brewing time also have an influence on the taste and effect. Coffee is the perfect way to start the morning, and the espresso is wonderful as a gentle pick-me-up after a meal.

Food

What Does a Good Crema Look Like on the Espresso?

Every espresso drinker loves the brown, velvety surface, which not only looks good but also reveals a lot about the drink: the crema. Any coffee layman would now claim that it always looks the same. But in fact, the crema can give us information about the quality of the espresso. But which factors have an influence on the crema? Is the industrial coffee machine suitable for making an espresso at work? We get to the bottom of the secret of the crema.

What is a cream?

The crema is the golden-brown foam on the surface of the espresso, which settles to the top shortly after the end of the preparation. However, this only happens when it is made with enough pressure and only when making an espresso. Ideally, the crema has the pattern of a tiger skin. A stable, dense crema is a sign of optimal extraction during preparation.

If you choose an espresso blend with a Robusta portion, you will always get a richer crema than with a pure Arabica blend.

How can I test the crema of my espresso from the professional coffee machine?

One or the other may have seen it on TV: the espresso drinker puts a spoonful of sugar on the crema. The result: the sugar remains for a moment before falling through the crema into the liquid.

This scenario is no old wives’ tale: a good crema really is able to keep fine sugars on the surface for a brief moment. Just try it out.

Which factors can negatively influence the crema?

One factor that influences the golden-brown foam is the degree of grinding. If this is too fine, over-extraction takes place and the crema becomes very dark and tastes bitter. If you have chosen a grind level that is too coarse for your professional coffee machine, the crema will be very watery and unstable.

However, if you have filled your industrial coffee machines with old beans, you will see hardly any crema. And the one that is there is dissolving very quickly. This is due to the carbon dioxide released by the beans after roasting. If the beans are too old, no more carbon dioxide is released. However, this is essential for a nice crema. Only use fresh beans and grind them just before preparation.

If the crema is too dark or barely there, it can also be due to the pressure being too high during preparation. If there is too little pressure, however, the crema will be too light and dissolve very quickly. This is the reason why you can only make an espresso with a portafilter or an industrial coffee machine and not with a filter coffee machine.

The same phenomenon of a light, quickly dissolving crema occurs if too little coffee powder was used for the production. The opposite occurs when one has used too much powder. The only thing that helps here is to find out the right amount by trying it out several times.

If you have considered all these factors and you still do not get any crema, this may also be due to the type of coffee. There are varieties that naturally hardly form any crema.

And now it’s time to try and test what the professional coffee machine can do. Play lightly with the various factors and see what effects they have. Only by trial and error will you find out which settings are the best.

Food

Turkish Mocha or Espresso From the Machine?

Coffee drinkers can passionately argue about what tastes better and wakes you up. Some swear that Turkish Mocha is the strongest coffee drink, while others are convinced that espresso is the most caffeinated coffee drink. And again and again there are ambiguities as to what actually is the difference between these two coffee drinks.

The subtle difference between espresso and Turkish mocha

The difference between mocha and espresso is the composition of the coffee used and the way the coffee beans are roasted. Turkish mocha, also called Turkish, is very different from espresso from the machine or from the espresso maker. The composition of Turkish is completely different and the roasting of the coffee beans varies in intensity. If you want to prepare espresso with the machine or with the espresso maker, you should know that espresso can be a mixture of different types of coffee that are subjected to a specific roasting process. Due to the intensive roasting, the espresso has less caffeine than most coffee drinkers think. A proportion of Robusta creates the famous crema. You can also prepare espresso in mocha pots instead of in the espresso machine or the espresso maker. Then the powder must not be ground too finely, otherwise the water will draw through the powder too slowly and the taste will be too bitter. Mocha describes the coffee from Yemen and Ethiopia. The name Mokka goes back to the Yemeni city “Al Mukah”. The city on the Red Sea used to be a major coffee port. The coffee beans for the Turkish coffee are roasted even more vigorously and ground to a fine powder. The popular hot drink is traditionally prepared from the dust-fine powder. Turkish mocha is full-bodied, bold, black and has a subtle acidity.

The preparation of mocha is very different from the preparation of espresso with the espresso maker

Turkish mocha is made in the oldest way of making coffee. This type of preparation existed before the espresso machine or the espresso maker existed. Turkish coffee is poured into special long-handled copper or brass pots. These pitchers are called ibrik. You need two teaspoons of coffee powder and one to one and a half teaspoons of sugar for a cup of mocha. Mocha is prepared by adding ground coffee and sugar to the pot and pouring hot water over it. Then stir until the sugar dissolves. When the coffee boils for the first time, foam forms. Then the jug is removed from the stove and the foam is poured into each cup. The coffee has to boil up again and is then poured into the cups. Depending on the region in which the mocha is made, it is also refined with different spices such as cardamom, cinnamon or cloves. The mocha is ready, which is then served in small, flat cups. With espresso, on the other hand, 25 ml of water is brewed under high pressure in the espresso maker or in the espresso machine. The espresso is then drunk pure from very small cups. Some add some sugar to neutralize the acidic taste.

Mocha is stronger than espresso

The assumption that espresso, which is prepared in the espresso machine or the espresso maker, is the strongest coffee, is widespread and wrong. When preparing filter coffee, the water flows slowly through the filter and the coffee powder has plenty of time to release caffeine. It doesn’t have this time when preparing with the espresso maker or with the espresso machine. Both in the espresso maker and in the espresso machine, the water runs very quickly through the punched espresso powder. Therefore, filter coffee contains more caffeine than espresso. The coffee powder releases more caffeine in the filter coffee machine. A cup of espresso (25ml) contains about 33mg of caffeine, while a cup of filter coffee (150ml) contains about 82mg of caffeine. The mocha is by far the strongest as one cup (50ml) can have up to 130mg of caffeine.