A Long Black is a popular coffee beverage that involves diluting a shot of espresso with hot water.
Here’s how to make a great Long Black:
Ingredients:
Freshly roasted coffee beans
Hot water
Equipment:
Espresso machine (or alternative methods for brewing espresso)
Coffee grinder
Tamper
Coffee scale
Espresso shot glass or cup
Kettle
Coffee cup
Instructions:
Grind the Coffee Beans: Start by grinding your coffee beans to a fine consistency, similar to table salt. You’ll need approximately 18-20 grams of coffee for a standard Long Black.
Preheat the Equipment: Preheat your espresso machine, portafilter, and cup. This helps maintain a consistent temperature during extraction.
Pull the Espresso Shot: Dose the ground coffee into the portafilter basket. Distribute the grounds evenly and tamp them down firmly.
Insert the portafilter into the espresso machine group head and start the extraction process.
Aim for a 1-ounce (30 ml) shot of espresso. The shot should take about 25-30 seconds to extract. Adjust the grind size if necessary to achieve this extraction time.
Prepare Hot Water: While the espresso shot is pulling, heat your water in a kettle to just off the boil (around 200°F or 93°C).
Combine Espresso and Water: Once the espresso shot is complete, immediately pour it into your coffee cup.
Next, add hot water to the cup. The ratio of water to espresso in a Long Black can vary, but a common ratio is 1:1, so if you have a 1-ounce espresso shot, add 1 ounce of hot water. You can adjust the ratio to your taste.
Optional: Pre-Warming the Cup
Some people prefer to pre-warm their cup with a small amount of hot water before adding espresso and hot water. This helps maintain the temperature of the Long Black.
Stir Gently: Use a spoon to gently stir the espresso and hot water to ensure they are well combined.
Serve and Enjoy: Your Long Black is ready to be enjoyed. It should have the strength and flavor of espresso but with a milder, smoother taste due to the added hot water.
Remember that the exact ratio of water to espresso and personal preferences may vary, so feel free to adjust the recipe to suit your taste. A great Long Black depends on using freshly roasted coffee beans, precise espresso extraction, and the right amount of hot water to create a flavorful, balanced coffee.
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