Become a Barista at Home: Your Guide to Different Coffee Drinks
Coffee can be a confusing thing. With so many different varieties of beans and preparation methods, it's difficult to know where to start, let alone sitting down to drink it. Step into any cafe or coffee shop, and you'll be met with a dizzying selection of cortados, cold brews, macchiatos and mochaccinos on the menu. And the last thing you want is to be stumped for choice in front of the
barista.
Luckily, there's no need to venture outside to get your premium fix of coffee. We want you to be your own barista and create delicious coffee drinks in your kitchen instead. That's why we've created this guide to getting to know the different types of coffee. Created with the Breville Barista Max and Breville Mini Barista coffee machines, making cafe-quality coffee without having to leave the home is sure to be a breeze after giving this guide a read.
Espresso
What is it?
Espresso lays the groundwork for all other coffee varieties, but as a standalone drink, it's also served as a shot, a quick pick-me-up full of intense flavour and alluring aromas. It's strong and packed with caffeine.
How to make it?
Per the instructions of your coffee machine, fill it with coffee grounds of your choice. Those in the know suggest a 1:3 ratio of coffee and water, but you can alter this if you like things on the stronger side.
Make sure the grounds are level and evenly distributed in the portafilter by using a tamper to press down on the coffee grounds; this provides a flat bed that the water is going to hit during the making of your espresso. Next, you'll brew the espresso itself; as it pours from your machine it'll be a dark brown colour, before becoming lighter. This is the "golden crema", which forms when air mixes with the oils found inside ground coffee beans, and lets you know it's time to stop it pouring.
There you have it, your shot of espresso is ready; it should be around 30 ml for a single shot or 60ml for a double.
Americano
What is it?
More than simply black coffee, the americano is a shot of espresso topped off with hot water. It can be served on its own or with hot or cold milk.
How to make it?
Make a shot of espresso as above. Experts say it's always better to pour the espresso into your cup first before adding the hot water, and who are we to argue with that?
Latte
What is it?
Derived from the Italian caffe latte or "coffee milk", a latte is just that: coffee and milk, but it's the velvety steamed, microfoam milk (three parts to the coffee's one) which has made it one of the most popular coffee drinks around the world.
How to make it?
Make the espresso as usual, before frothing up the milk with either machine's steam wand. Once these are done, pour the milk into your cup first and then top off with the espresso by pouring it in from the centre of the milk to the top.
Cappuccino
What is it?
Similar to a latte, though with much less milk, a cappuccino is equal parts milk, foam and coffee. Traditionally, it's also served with a sprinkling of chocolate over the top.
How to make it?
This posh-sounding coffee is a breeze to make. It's pretty much the same as a latte, only with the addition of froth, which you can make by taking half the milk you'd use for a latte of the same size, and placing it under the steaming wand. The trick here is to keep the head of the steaming wand just below the surface of the milk; this gets just the right amount of heat into the milk to create a frothy foam.
All that's left to do is add the espresso, then the milk and a few spoonfuls of the foam on top.
Mocha
What is it?
Named after the Yemeni city from which it originates, a mocha is a cappuccino with the addition of drinking chocolate, making it a deliciously sweet and creamy treat.
How to make it?
The mocha is prepared the same way as a cappuccino, with equal parts coffee, milk and foam. It differs only by adding a teaspoon of drinking chocolate into the bottom of the cup. Add the rest of the contents as you would a cappuccino.
Macchiato
What is it?
Sometimes known as a dry cappuccino, the macchiato is a shot of espresso with froth on top. You may have had what's called a macchiato from one of the large coffee chains, but the real deal tends to differ. It's a short, strong drink but very delicious.
How to make it?
Add a shot or two of espresso and then top with a small amount of steamed milk. That's it. Tricky, right?
We hope this article has inspired you to try something new in the kitchen! Looking for more? You’ll find the full range of Breville products, whatever you’re in need of, on our homepage.