There are three key ways we recommend to brew coffee. Steeping - where the grounds are brewed standing in contact with water, most commonly in a cafetière; Filtration, where water is passed through the grounds and filter paper; and pressure extraction, where water is pushed through coffee grounds at a high pressure - more commonly known as espresso.

Many styles of home (and professional) espresso machines are now on the market and although increasingly popular, this brewing method is still widely mis-understood. Espresso is a method of brewing coffee that extracts all of the coffee flavour in a small amount of water and time, and is dependent upon the machine forcing water at high pressure through the grounds. Good home espresso machines will typically have a water tank and the flow of coffee is activated by an on-off switch or button. These machines are dramatically different to, and operate at significantly higher pressure than 'steam powered' units, the most common of which is the 'stovetop'. Other steam powered units are identified by the water tank being sealed by a screw top and the coffee coming through into a small glass carafe instead of being brewed by the cup. These machines are now mostly disappearing from the market as pump machines become more affordable.

Grinding is the key
To achieve a great shot of espresso with body, sweetness and a rich hazelnut, coloured crema, you need to ensure that your beans are ground finely enough to resist the pressurised flow of water and only allow about 25-28ml (about 1flOz) through in 20-25 seconds. If you have a home grinder, you'll probably have to experiment until you get the right extraction for the coffee you are using (see below). If you don't have a grinder, you need to ensure your coffee is ground appropriately. Select the 'home espresso' grind if your machine is powered by steam pressure, or produces a pressure less than 9 bar. This is true for most value domestic machines available today. For machines running with a separate pump, at good pressure, select 'professional espresso'. See further information and explanation in our shop.

Next, after the espresso machine has thoroughly heated up, take your ready warmed Portafilter (filter handle with basket) and scoop one level measure of grounds per serving into the basket. Most machines are supplied with two basket inserts, a shallow Single Espresso and deeper Double Espresso. Each serving will use seven grams of grounds and ensure that you use the appropriate size basket, shallow for a single, and a deeper for two servings (or one Double Espresso). Underfilling the double basket will result in a fast flow and thin, underflavoured coffee.

Tamping is essential for good espresso, as you need to create a high level of resistance against the fast flowing, pressurised water. Most home machines are sold with both a plastic scoop for the grounds as well as a separate hand-tamp which will improve the applied pressure when packing the grounds into the portafilter. When tamping, ensure the grounds are flat and evenly spread, and tap the side to ensure any that are loose at the sides are packed. Finally, before replacing the filled Portafilter into the machine head, wipe your hand over the top of the portafilter to remove any grounds there. If left on these can cause damage to the head seals, and also pass into your cup.

Finally, if your coffee flows out too quickly, try a finer grind, a touch more grounds or a firmer tamp. For very slow pours - which may also taste bitter and have a dark brown crema, try a slightly coarser grind and/or lighter tamping.

If all these steps are properly followed, you'll be well on your way to delivering an espresso that is a symphony of elegant flavours with a delicious, oily crema.