With just a couple of simple items required, taking your coffee to new adventurous levels is easier than you think.

1. Getting Started

A quality coffee machine can really make a difference. The De’Longhi espresso/cappuccino maker is a great appliance for coffee based indulgencies; featuring a powerful 15 bar pump, extracting the perfect espresso is effortless. This machine self primes, so there is no need to purge any hot water and it is ready to make drinks in moments. Thanks to the removable 1 litre water tank that can be re-filled at any time, there really is no limit to the amount of coffee you can make.

2. Grind The Beans

Pre ground coffee produces a good espresso, but going that extra mile and grinding your own beans produces an exceptional espresso. Grinding coffee couldn't be easier with a little help from the De’Longhi grinder, just pop whole beans in the hopper, hit the “push to grind” button and in a couple of seconds freshly ground coffee is good to go.



3. Frothy Coffee

If you love frothy coffee, simply pour cold milk into a milk steaming jug and steam until the jug is warm to touch. Going one step further you can use a milk thermometer and take the milk up to 65°c for really creamy sweet milk.

4. Presentation

Everyone has a favourite chalice at home, yet sometimes a beverage deserves a cup better suited to the drinks characteristics.

Espresso – Using a small glass or cup is best here, enough space for the espresso and maybe a little steamed milk is all that is needed, too large of a cup and the espresso will be cold before it touches your lips.

Cappuccino - Traditionally cappuccino is served in a bowl shaped cup, there isn't a one size fits all with cappuccinos, just choose a size of cup you like and stick with the 1:1:1 rule (1 part espresso, 1 part milk, 1 part froth) you can’t lose.


Caffé Latte – Lattes are adaptable and work well in either a cup or glass. Stunning results are easily achievable when using a glass, the secret to a layered effect is to make sure you have a nice thick foam before pouring in the espresso. Foam slows down the espresso creating beautiful layers.

5. Get Experimental

Now you've created delectable coffee, why not play around with different flavours, syrups and artistic designs.

Syrups

Available in many flavours, syrups are an easy but impressive way of personalising coffee. Try adding a couple of squares of your favourite chocolate to the milk before steaming to create a mocha then add a drizzle of raspberry syrup for a delicious black forest flavour.

Chocolate Art

Thick chocolate syrup has a massive impact when gently laid on top of coffee. Decant the sauce into a squeeze bottle, draw lines on top of the foam and use a cocktail stick to feather through the chocolate forming unique patterns.

Latte Art 

For simple latte art, start with an espresso loaded cup in one hand and milk jug in the other, pour milk in the centre of the cup and wiggle the jug so a little froth comes with the milk. Once you have a white spot forming in the espresso, move your pour through the spot to the opposite edge of the cup creating a perfect latte art heart.




Once you have enjoyed your well deserved coffee, don't forget to re-cycle as spent coffee grounds make perfect fertiliser and pest repellent for the garden.

By Matt England