Tips For The Perfect Espresso; Tips For The Milk Froth - Silvercrest SEM 1100 C4 Operating Instructions Manual

Tips for the perfect espresso

One of the most important factors for making a good espresso is the so-called
extraction time or flow time – in other words the duration of contact between
coffee powder and hot water until the finished coffee has flowed into the cup.
The extraction time depends chiefly on the quantity and grind of the coffee
powder as well as its compactness. The finer and more compact the coffee
powder, the more slowly the water runs through it.
However, you can adjust the extraction time yourself if you feel that the espresso
does not taste or look as it should.
■ If the crema is very light, has little consistency and dissolves quickly, the
espresso has gone through too quickly; this is called under-extraction. The
espresso tastes sour and watery, and the aroma does not develop fully.
This is usually due to too small a quantity of coffee powder, which may
also be ground too coarsely or not compacted firmly enough.
■ If the crema is very dark and interspersed with light spots in the middle or has
a hole, the coffee has been flowing too long. This is called over-extraction. The
espresso tastes bitter. The cause is usually that the coffee powder is too finely
ground or you have used too much coffee powder. If neither of these is the
case, the coffee powder has been compacted too firmly.
Use only espresso coffee powder: it is usually more finely ground and also
more strongly roasted. Ideally, you should use around 7 g of ground coffee
for one cup of espresso coffee. Do not overfill the sieve. Compact the coffee
powder in the sieve using the tamper of the measuring spoon a without
compacting the coffee powder too firmly.
Experiment until you find the optimal balance of all factors.

Tips for the milk froth

■ Generally, any type of milk can be frothed, including soy and rice milk.
However, some types of milk can only be frothed to a certain extent.
■ Low fat or skimmed milk does not burn as easily as whole milk, however,
a too low fat content adds to the risk that the milk will not be well frothed.
Therefore use a milk with a fat content of 3.5% or 1.5%, if possible.
■ Well-cooled milk can be better frothed than less cold. For the best results,
use milk at a temperature of about 7°C.
■ Do not froth the milk a second time, otherwise it may burn.
■ Allow frothed milk to stand for about 30 seconds before you pour it onto the
espresso. This allows the larger bubbles to burst; the still liquid milk sinks to
the bottom. You can then pour the fine froth onto the espresso.
SEM 1100 C4 GB │ IE │ 15 ■