Get The Most From Your Coffee Machine

Coffee machines come in all shapes and sizes and the choice can be somewhat overwhelming for many consumers who more often than not drink instant. One knows that all coffee machines simply make coffee, so why are there so many different types?  The truth is there's only really two types of machines; being pressure brewed as in espresso makers and the classic Moka pot, or drip brewed as in percolators which can be gravity fed or electrically pumped. A few variations on these two methods are available, such as the vacuum brewer or the 'bean to cup' machines, but essentially they are either pressure or drip brewed.

For versatility the best bet is looking at the pressure brewing method, favoured by espresso coffee makers. And with espresso being the base ingredient for many coffee recipes, these machines offer a wide variety of coffees to be made. Dating back to 1884, the espresso machine has seen its own fair share of design changes such as steam driven, piston driven and pump driven. These days, most domestic coffee machines are pump driven, some of which feature a milk frothing arm, which is used for frothing milk, another common ingredient in many recipes.

Making exciting and adventurous cups of coffee will require a few ingredients in addition to finely ground (espresso) coffee powder, milk and sugar. A selection of syrups such as chocolate, vanilla and hazelnut syrup, and chocolate & cocoa powder give any coffee recipe a nice tasty topping. Coffee doesn't have to be served piping hot either; try serving espresso coffee cold with cream, a little amaretto and vanilla flavouring for a wonderfully refreshing after dinner drink. For long winter nights, nothing is more warming than a classic mocha coffee. This is basically just coffee and hot chocolate, but can be spiced up with the addition of little chilli (try it!) a sprinkling of nutmeg and grated dark chocolate (which grates better straight out of the fridge).

New coffee recipes are emerging seemingly on a daily basis so don't be afraid to be adventurous. If it doesn't work all you've lost is a cup of coffee and with an espresso coffee machine, there's plenty more coffee on tap. Ginger biscuits and coffee are perfect together, so try adding a little ginger to an Irish coffee; I'm sure you'll be suitably impressed. You don't need a book full of coffee recipes to get the most out of your espresso machine, just get a few ideas off the internet and then try making some recipes of your own. Imagine how impressed your friends will be when you proudly announce “this is my own coffee recipe”.