Guide to the perfect espresso
Preheat Glasses
1.Preheat the glasses/cups by filling them with hot water as this will assist to preserve the crema of the espresso. Set the glasses/ cups aside.
Caution: The hot water will be close to boiling temperature. Take care so as not to crack the glasses or burn yourself.
Preheat Group Handle and Filter Basket
2.Select the appropriate filter basket and place it into group handle (12).
Tip: Use the single filter basket for a single serve of espresso and the double filter basket for a double serve of espresso.
3.Take the group handle, hold it under the group head and purge water. With the filter basket positioned under the group head press the ‘MANUAL’ button to start the water flow and press it again to stop (13).
4.Dry the filter basket.
Dosing and Tamping
5.Using a grinder or the measuring spoon supplied, place the appropriate amount of finely ground coffee into the filter basket (14).
6.Reset the group handle with the filter basket in position onto the benchtop. Take the coffee tamp, apply firm level packing pressure (15), twisting 90 degrees to polish the grounds. This seals the surface of the coffee cake.
7.Brush any excess coffee grounds from around the edge of the filter basket (16).
Important: Be sure to place a sufficient amount of coffee grinds into the filter basket without over dosing it with coffee. Once tamped the level of coffee should be only a few millimetres below the rim of the filter basket. To check this, lock the group handle onto the group head (17)(18).
Then without having made a coffee remove the group handle (21) and inspect the top of the tamped coffee - it should have only a slight indent from the shower screen. Ideally the top of the tamped coffee should be fractionally below the shower screen and then during the espresso pour the coffee cake will expand up and onto the shower screen.
Tip: The coffee dosage and the degree of tamping should remain the same every time you make a coffee. The only thing that should vary is the coarseness of the coffee grounds and this will vary depending on the bean. For example to achieve a slower espresso pour rate use a finer grind and a coarser grind for a faster espresso pour rate.
Note: If purchasing
Tip: Ensure the coffee tamp is dry because if it is wet the coffee grinds will stick to it.
The Espresso Pour
8.Lock the group handle onto the group head (17)(18).
9.Empty the glasses/cups and place below the pouring spouts (19).
Note: Check to see that the espresso machine is ready for use (see p8 Ready Mode). Remember that if the ‘POWER’ light is flashing red, this indicates that the espresso machine is on and heating up.
10.Press any of the coffee buttons to start the espresso pour.
Important: Should coffee grinds come out from the top of the group handle this is a sign that the group handle has not been firmly locked into position and/or the level of coffee in the basket is too high.
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