KitchenAid KES0503ER Use & Care Guide - Page 22

Barista tips When brewing multiple shots: • Use a towel to clean and dry the filter basket before filling with coffee. This will help to achieve even coffee extraction. To maintain the proper brewing temperature, it is important to keep the brew group warm, so: • Do not rinse the portafilter with tap water - doing so will cool the filter. It's best to wipe leftover grounds from the filter with a towel. • When you're busy with other tasks, like grinding coffee or frothing milk, keep the empty portafilter warm by attaching it to the brew head. • Clean the frothing arm and nozzle immediately after use. See "Care and Cleaning" section. • Lower fat milks are generally easier to froth. Skim milk can be tricky because it froths very easily, with a tendency to form large bubbles and dry peaks that mar its texture. Ultimately, the choice of milk is a matter of experimentation and taste. The most important factors in producing a superior froth are experience and good refrigeration: the colder the milk you use, the better. Preparing Cappuccino • The Italian word Cappuccino is derived from Capuchin, an order of monks who wear garments the color of this most popular espresso drink. A standard Cappuccino is a combination of steamed milk and espresso that's capped with a layer of frothed milk; it's usually served in a bowl-shaped cup of 6 to 7 ounce volume. • To prepare Cappuccino, froth and steam the milk before brewing the espresso. This allows the froth to gel slightly and fully separate from the milk. Once the milk is prepared, brew a single shot (1 oz.) of espresso into a Cappuccino cup, then pour the frothed and steamed milk into the cup with a gentle shaking motion. For a show-stopping flourish, top your Cappuccino with nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate powder, or chocolate shavings. Preparing Café Latte • A basic Café Latte is a single shot (1 oz.) of espresso topped with 8 to 10 ounces of steamed milk and about 1/4-inch of foamed milk. Lattes are often flavored with 1 to 2 ounces of syrup, the most popular being almond and hazelnut. If you use chocolate syrup and garnish the drink with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, you'll have that chocolate and coffee lover's dream, the Café Mocha. • To prepare a Café Latte, you will need a pitcher larger than the one supplied with the Espresso Machine. A 16 ounce capacity pitcher is perfect. Fill the pitcher 1/2 full with cold milk. The steaming technique for Lattes is almost the same as Cappuccino, except the goal is to impart a velvety texture to the milk while minimizing froth. Keep the frothing nozzle deeper in the milk so the milk volume expands more slowly. No large bubbles or froth should form. • Once the milk is prepared, brew the espresso into a Latte mug, add the syrup if any, and gently fill with steamed milk. 22