Using a compact espresso machine involves a few simple steps to brew your coffee and steam milk, bringing the cafe experience home.
A compact espresso machine allows you to quickly make espresso shots and froth milk for lattes and cappuccinos. The core process involves preparing the machine, pulling the espresso shot, and steaming milk using the frothing wand.
Getting Started with Your Compact Espresso Machine
Before brewing, ensure your machine is ready:
- Add Water: Fill the water reservoir with fresh, cold water.
- Add Coffee: Place ground espresso coffee into the portafilter.
- Tamp: Gently press the coffee grounds evenly using a tamper.
- Attach Portafilter: Lock the portafilter securely into the group head on the machine.
- Place Cup: Position your cup under the portafiter spouts.
Pulling Your Espresso Shot
Once set up, brewing the espresso is straightforward:
- Start Brewing: On machines like the Morphy Richards Espresso Compact, you simply press to pull the espresso shot. This activates the pump, which forces hot water through the coffee grounds under pressure, extracting the espresso.
Ensure your cup is correctly placed to catch the stream of espresso.
Frothing Milk for Coffee Drinks
To create lattes or cappuccinos, you'll need to froth milk using the machine's steam wand.
Follow these steps to froth milk:
- Prepare for Steam: Press the steam button on your machine.
- Wait for Ready: Wait until the button stops blinking. This indicates the machine has reached the correct temperature for steaming.
- Position Jug: Place a jug under the wand. Use a small stainless steel jug filled with cold milk.
- Begin Frothing: Immerse the steam wand tip just below the surface of the milk and turn on the steam function (often by turning a dial or pressing a button). Move the jug slightly to incorporate air for foam and then lower the wand to heat the milk.
- Use the Froth: The reference explicitly states you use the froth to make milk, which means applying the steaming process to the milk to create foam and heat it.
| Action | Purpose | Indication of Readiness |
|---|---|---|
| Press to pull | Start espresso extraction | N/A |
| Press steam button | Prepare for steaming milk | Button stops blinking |
| Use the froth wand | Steam and froth milk | Milk heats and froths |
By following these steps, you can effectively use your compact espresso machine to brew delicious espresso and prepare perfectly frothed milk for your favourite coffee beverages.
