How to make the perfect coffee with a cafetiere
What’s your morning routine? Early bird or habitual oversleeper, everyone prepares to face the day differently. But the chances are that whatever else it might entail - chasing the kids out of the house, sneaking in an early gym session, or repeatedly hitting the snooze button – a good cup of coffee is the star of the show.
For that perfect morning pick-me-up, quality is key. A teaspoon of instant in the bottom of an old mug won’t cut it. But fiddling with drippers and milk frothers at home is too complicated, and buying one on the way to work every day gets expensive. So what’s the alternative? The Zyliss red hot mug cafetiere gives you the best blend of quality and convenience, so you can make the perfect mug of coffee, even if you’re on the go!
What is a cafetiere?
Also known as a french press or coffee plunger, a cafetiere is designed to be used with ground coffee. You’ll probably have seen them around: they usually include a glass or plastic jug and a lid with a strainer attached. Once you’ve brewed the coffee, you plunge the strainer to the bottom of the jug, keeping the grounds separate from the liquid. They’re cheaper to buy and easier to use than a lot of other coffee-brewing equipment.
A cafetiere lets you brew strong, flavourful coffee that you can use as the basis for a variety of short and long drinks. What makes it different from other methods of brewing coffee is that it infuses hot water through the coffee grounds gently (like tea), rather than forcing steam through them at high pressure (like espresso). The end result is less concentrated than an espresso – so while you still get a rich flavour, you’re less likely to end up with the jitters.
How much coffee do you use in a cafetiere?
How much coffee you use in a cafetiere depends on how strong you like your coffee and how big your cafetiere is. Cafetieres come in different sizes, from one litre jugs that produce about eight small cups, to travel-sized presses that produce two.
Typically, you should aim for about 50-60g of ground coffee for an 8 cup cafetiere, half that for a four-cup and around 20g for a three-cup. If in doubt (or if you just don’t have scales to hand), one tablespoon per cup tends to be about right.
It’s also worth remembering when cafetieres talk about cups, they mean a demitasse. That’s about half the size of a normal mug. So a full 8 cup cafetiere will give you enough coffee for three or four decent mugs – perfect if you have friends around for a brew.
As the Zyliss red hot mug cafetiere is designed for one mug (two demitasses), we’d suggest adding around 15g or one tablespoon of ground coffee to make a perfectly balanced cup of java. At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice; feel free to experiment, adding more or less coffee, to work out exactly what works for you.
How to use a cafetiere
If you’re not sure how to make coffee in a cafetiere, don’t worry: it couldn’t be easier.
Add about a tablespoon of coffee per cup to the bottom of the jug. Boil your kettle, then wait a minute before pouring it over the grounds. Fill the jug to the top. Leave it to stand for 3-5 minutes. Do a crossword, send an email, browse Facebook. Then, give your brew a stir and pop the lid on the jug. Push down gently on the plunger until it reaches the bottom. This will catch all the grounds in the base of the jug, separate from your freshly-brewed coffee.
Tips and tricks to make the best coffee in a cafetiere
Want to know how to use a cafetiere to make coffee like a pro? There are a few tips and tricks that will get you brewing like a barista in no time.
Make sure you start with a clean cafetiere. Grounds can get trapped in the mesh, which can result in a muddy flavour over time – so make sure you’re giving it a good rinse after every use.
Wait until your water has gone slightly off the boil before you pour it over your coffee. Pouring boiling water onto the coffee can burn it and produce a bitter flavour.
Push the plunger down gently and slowly. Rushing this bit can mean that some grounds escape the mesh and end up in your cup. It can also cause the coffee to spurt up and slosh over the edge.
Then pour, and enjoy. The Zyliss red hot mug cafetiere means you can make a cup of freshly brewed coffee and then get on with your day; perfectly portable and ideal for the morning commute. No need to wait until the office or to splash out on takeaway coffee everyday - bring the barista experience with you, wherever you are.
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