Breville THE BARISTA EXPRESS BES860XL - Manuel (Page 46)

ESPRESSO MAKING TIPS
WARMING YOUR CUP OR GLASS
A warm cup will help maintain the espresso
optimal temperature.
Preheat your cup by holding down the one cup
button and running hot water into the cups from
the group head without the portafilter inserted
and place the cups on the warming tray.
WARMING THE PORTAFILTER
A cold portafilter can drop the extraction
temperature enough to significantly affect the
quality of your espresso. Always ensure the
portafilter is preheated by running hot water
through it before preparing the espresso.
USING PRE-GROUND ESPRESSO
If using a pre-ground espresso, ensure
an espresso grind suitable for espresso/
cappuccino machines is purchased.
THE RIGHT MEASUREMENT
It is important to use the correct filter for the
amount of espresso. A single espresso is made
with 1⁄3 ounce or 8g of ground espresso. A
level measure of the coffee scoop is the correct
amount of coffee for a single espresso and 2
level measures for a double espresso.
TAMPING CORRECTLY
Level the desired amount of ground espresso by
gently tapping the side of the filter holder before
pressing down firmly with the tamper. When
packing for a double espresso it is important
only to tamp after the second measure.
Tamping between measures will create a layer
in the ground espresso that can impede full
extraction.
PURGE THE GROUP HEAD
Before inserting the portafilter, run some water
through the group head. It will ensure that your
machine has a last minute ‘clean through’ and
stabilizes the temperature prior to extracting.
BREWING YOUR ESPRESSO
The most common mistake in brewing is to over
extract from your ground espresso. This results
in a bitter beverage with visibly bleached crema.
Crema is the caramel colored layer that floats on
top of the espresso following extraction.
NOTE: Always wipe the filter and portafilter
dry before preparing the espresso
as moisture can encourage ‘drilling’
- this is when water bypasses the
ground espresso coffee during
extraction.
NOTE: Make sure to wipe off any excess
ground espresso from the rim of
the filter to ensure a proper seal is
achieved under the group head.
NOTE: The taste of your espresso will,
of course, depend on personal
preference and on many other
factors such as the type of coffee
bean used, the coarseness or
fineness of the grind and the
tamping pressure. We recommend
experimenting by varying these
factors to achieve the espresso
taste of your preference.
NOTE: Always properly clean your machine
after each use.
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