Coffee Shop Drinks You Can Make at Home


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Coffee is the most widely-consumed beverage in the world. We can’t get enough of it. Some people even consider coffee as the cheapest pleasure in life. This is why we often see people visiting well-known cafes, enjoying a grande iced coffee, latte, espresso or other coffee shop drinks on most days.

Although spending $4 on coffee may not seem much but if you buy one every workday, then that would easily cost you $20 a week and $80 a month. The good news is that, you can recreate those coffee shop drinks without leaving your own cozy kitchen. These drinks can be done with the help of an espresso machine.

We all know that good quality machines are expensive. We’re not here to convince you to blow your entire salary on a piece of equipment. But if you are the type of person who spends a huge percentage of his/her salary on coffee, then an espresso machine would be a great investment. Plus, you can create a variety of beverages at the comfort of your home. It’s like having a little coffee shop of your own.

Here are 5 coffee shop drinks you can make at home.

Espresso

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As compared to most coffee beverages, espresso has more caffeine per unit volume. A shot of espresso should be 1 ounce of liquid. Because it is thicker, the flavor is very concentrated, intense and rich. All of the beverages on this list are based on 1 or 2 shots of pure espresso.

To make cafe quality espresso at home, you need to start with freshly ground coffee. Prepare 7 to 10 grams of ground coffee in a single portafilter. Feel free to adjust the dose according to your taste. Tamp the espresso down and place the portafilter into the machine. You can start pulling the espresso shot once the water is properly heated,

Macchiato

Macchiato is simply a double shot of espresso with a layer of foamed milk. It is the perfect cross between an espresso and a cappuccino. Unlike those you usually get in Starbucks, macchiato is a very simple drink. It is devoid of chocolate treatment and flavored caramel.

Coffee shop drinks like these usually start with 2 shots of espresso. Steam your milk until it becomes foamy on top. You want to make a lot of foam. Then, add a dollop of foam to cover the espresso. Be careful, don’t put too much. Otherwise, you’ll be dabbling in the area of cappuccino.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is primarily made from espresso and milk, and is usually topped with an airy, thick layer of foamed milk. It should be made of equal parts espresso, steamed milk and foamed milk.

If you love a good cappuccino, then we encourage you to make one at home. To recreate this coffee shop drink, you want to start with a shot of dark, rich espresso. Steam the milk with a steam wand. Once it’s done, pour the milk into the espresso. You can use any type of milk you want, but we recommend that you use whole milk. It will create the best foam and will steam the easiest.

Cafe Latte

Cafe latte is very similar to a cappuccino. It is also made with espresso, steamed milk and milk foam. The difference is that cafe latte is prepared with more steamed or textured milk than cappuccino.

Sometimes the foam is poured in such a way to create a picture. Popular patterns include trees, flowers and hearts. Lattes can be very expensive, especially if you buy one every day. Luckily, you can make one at the comfort of your home. Preparation is similar to that of cappuccino. If you are a serious about taking on the role of a home barista, we encourage you to learn latte art.

Cafe Americano

Cafe Americano is basically a shot or two of espresso brewed with added hot water. The result is a rich, wonderful cup of coffee with espresso character. Cafe Americano usually has a light layer of crema on top.  The strength of the coffee varies depending on the amount of water added and the number of espresso shots.

To make Cafe Americano, start by pulling double espresso shots in a tall cup. Then, add an equal amount of boiling water. You are free to tweak the proportions of the espresso and water to suit your liking.

Final thoughts

Many of you are probably looking to invest on an espresso machine to whip up a great cup of coffee every morning. But there is so much more you can do with this machine. Espresso, machiatto, latte, cappuccino, and Americano are just some of them.

Once you have the basics of making espresso down to science, you can easily make all these coffee shop drinks and enjoy them whenever you want. Now, you can enjoy great tasting beverages at home, and without putting a hole on your household budget.

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