Make Espresso Beverages With a French Press

Espresso-based drinks like lattes are popular and delicious, but if these milky drinks from your local coffee take-out are a luxury you're trying to cut back on, there is good news – you don't have to go without your coffee fix. You can make your own! This article demonstrates how to make all your favorite coffee beverages at home, all using a simple French Press.

Beverage Preparation

 * 1)  Lift the lid/filter assembly out of the pot.
 * 2)  Warm the pot by swirling some hot water in it so the glass won't crack from the sudden temperature change when you add boiling water later.
 * 3)  Grind fresh coffee beans a little coarser than what you normally find in a can of commercial coffee. Put 4 tablespoons of coffee in the bottom of the pot. You'll probably need to experiment to find the ideal amount of coffee to use for your taste, but this amount is normal for a small press.
 * 4) Pour in 2 cups of near boiling water—to within about two inches from the top-for a 16oz pot. Pour slowly to prevent splashing the hot water.  Do not boil water as this will add bitterness to the coffee.
 * 5)  Give the brew a quick stir with a long-handled spoon just to prevent clumps, then push the lid/filter assembly down until it just rests on the water.
 * 6)  Let it steep until the coffee is too dark to see light through (about 3 to 4 minutes). The longer you steep, the stronger the coffee. This is another area for experimentation.  Just be aware of one rule: The length of steep time controls extraction - too short and the coffee will be under-extracted and sour; too long and the coffee will be over-extracted and bitter.
 * 7)  Hold the lid to steady the plunger, and press the plunger down slowly in a steady, even manner until it stops.
 * 8)  Let it set briefly. Pour your coffee through a clean cloth or a coffee filter if you want to catch any of the very fine sediment.

Frothing Hot Milk/Cream

 * 1)  Heat milk in a medium saucepan until warmed through – but do not boil.
 * 2)  While the milk is being heated, grind the coffee beans in the coffee grinder.
 * 3)  Remove milk from heat and set on a kitchen towel on your counter top, at a slight angle. Do this while the coffee is steeping.
 * 4)  Set an immersion blender in the shallow end of the pot and froth the milk on high speed until the foam holds, about 2 to 3 minutes blending on high.
 * 5)  Divide the coffee out amongst the cups and spoon the frothed milk on top of each. Serve immediately.

Frothing Cold Milk/Cream

 * 1)  Chill the milk in a small glass or stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl in the freezer for 15 - 30 minutes or until the temperature reaches just freezing. There should not be ice crystals.
 * 2)  Remove the bowl from the freezer, and set it on a towel on your counter top.
 * 3)  Tip the bowl, and insert your immersion blender. Blend until there is a good, stiff froth. Spoon out the froth on to your coffee. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Whipped Cream

 * 1)  For those who would like to use whipped cream, this is a basic recipe:
 * 2) * 1/2 pint heavy cream, chilled
 * 3) * 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
 * 4) * 1 tablespoons powdered sugar
 * 5)  Whip the cream by using a stick blender, whip the cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form.
 * 6)  Add the vanilla and the sugar and continue to beat until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream.

Recipes
Select a recipe from one of the many below. Why not try them all?

Frapputini

 * 8 ounces good, strong coffee
 * 1 1/2 ounce heavy cream/frothed cream
 * Flavoring or extract as desired, to taste
 * Sugar to taste
 * 1/4 teaspoon pectin to thicken. Adjust as desired.

Irish Coffee

 * 3 shots espresso or 8 oz. of good strong coffee
 * 1 oz. heavy cream/frothed cream
 * 1/4 teaspoon mint extract (adjust to taste)
 * Whipped cream (Optional)
 * 1 shot Irish Whiskey (Optional, for the American bar drink.)

Cappuccino

 * 4 ounces of your favorite, good quality, coffee
 * 4 ounces whole milk, frothed
 * 1)  Pour 4 ounces coffee into your cup.
 * 2)  Add 4 ounces hot whole, milk.

Macchiato

 * 4 shots espresso (or 1 1/3 cups regular coffee)
 * 1 cup heavy cream
 * 1)  Pour shots of espresso into mugs.
 * 2)  Add 1/4 cup of the heavy cream.
 * 3)  Top each mug with a dollop of whipped cream.

Latte

 * 2 (1 1/4-ounce) shots espresso, hot
 * 12 ounces milk, steamed to 150 degrees
 * 1 tablespoon frothed milk
 * 1)  Pour both espresso shots into the bottom of a cup.
 * 2)  Add steamed milk until cup is 3/4 full, holding back the foam.
 * 3)  Top off the drink with velvet foam from frothed milk.

Tips

 * A 4-shot Macchiato, at 55¢ per shot, is about $4.75 per drink. At one drink per day, you'll spend almost $1733 per year. Purchasing your own espresso machine allows you to have as many shots a day as you like and your espresso maker would pay for itself in a couple of months. Whether you buy pre-packaged cups, pucks, or measure your own coffee, governs how fast the machine will pay for itself.
 * Using 2 Tbsps for every 6 oz of water is the ideal ratio for steeping coffee. Experiment from there to fit your taste.
 * Note: This article is intended to make home versions of the commercial "Coffee shop" espresso beverages. It is not a substitution for home made pressurized Espresso, itself.
 * Espresso means "Under Pressure." It does not mean "fast."

Things You'll Need

 * Café Press pot, AKA Cafetiere or French press. They can be found in most department stores, kitchen departments, or coffee shops.
 * Immersion blender, sometimes called a stick blender. They can be found in most department stores.
 * Fresh, quality coffee
 * Milk or heavy cream
 * Saucepan

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Use a French Press or Cafetiere
 * How to Make an Espresso (Espresso Coffee)
 * How to Make a Corretto (Espresso Corretto)
 * How to Make Espresso Drinks
 * How to Make Espresso Fredo
 * How to Make Espresso Beverages Without a Machine
 * How to Make Coffee