If you’re a coffee lover who loves a rich, bold flavor, how to make espresso in a French press could make a coffee cup more delicious. A French press is usually used for regular coffee. But a French press can be easily modified to make a strong, espresso like brew right at home. If you’re trying to level up your coffee game, spend a few time reading the details information below.
What is a French Press?
A French press, which is called a press pot or plunger pot (stainless steel or glass), is a simple hands-on coffee maker. Moreover, a standard French press, with a cylindrical carafe and plunger with a fine mesh filter. The French press is unlike espresso-style coffee without a machine: Brewing time, water temperature, and coffee grind are all under your control. Therefore, you can make espresso with a cafetiere to achieve the same effect.
While true espresso requires a machine to force water through finely ground coffee under pressure. A “French press espresso” is a strong coffee brewed with coarser grounds and longer steeping. French espresso is less intense than traditional espresso but produces a full-bodied. When you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use it with lattes, cappuccinos, and other espresso-style drinks.
What Do You Need to Make French Press Espresso?
Before you make French press espresso, you need to prepare the following things.
- French Press Coffee Maker: Of course, a French press is essential here. A French press is such a simple, reliable tool for making bold coffee at home. It’s a perfect low-tech way to make espresso-like coffee without having to spend money on an espresso machine.
- Coffee Grinder: A coffee grinder is a thing that you need to prepare to make a balanced, flavorful French press espresso. For even extraction, consistency is key, so you want a fine grind (unlike the coarse grind you’d normally use for French press coffee).
- Finely Ground Coffee: You’ll want about 30 grams of finely ground coffee. Some roasters will call dark roasts ‘espresso beans’. However, you can use any roast you like. This is what gives the French press its rich, espresso-like flavor.
- Hot Water: You should use about 100 grams of near-boiling water for a coffee-to-water ratio of 3:1 (30g coffee to 100g water) to achieve the right strength. This ratio mirrors the intensity of espresso. For steady pouring, you want water temperature right below boiling, around 200°F (93°C to 95°C), and a gooseneck kettle is best for that.
- Timer: French press coffee brewing time is about 4 minutes, so you should set a time to achieve the perfect cup. Too long can be bitter and too short will not be flavorful enough.
- Scale: Additionally, a kitchen scale allows you to measure coffee and water on the same scale for accuracy. Therefore, you get the exact strength and flavor you want.
How to Make Espresso in a French Press
If you want to brew a strong, espresso-like coffee with a French press, follow these nine simple steps:
Step 1: Measure and Grind Your Coffee
For an espresso using a French press, medium ground coffee beans are best and two tablespoons of it per cup of water is ideal. You have to grind 30 grams of coffee beans finely, in the same texture as ground cinnamon. It is possible to grind it so fine that a richer, more intense flavor is achieved.
Step 2: Heat the Water
After that, you boil water and wait for it to cool to 200°F (93-95°C) for about 30 seconds to a minute. You should use filtered or alkaline water as it will help the flavor.
Step 3: Preheat the French Press
You wring out the French press pour a little hot water into it to warm it up, swirl it around, and dump.
Step 4: Add the Coffee
You put the ground coffee in the French press already preheated.
Step 5: Pour and Stir
You need to make sure coffee is even saturated in the hot water. After that, you stir the mixture well with a spoon to ensure that the water and coffee have mixed together. Begin your timer for four minutes.
Step 6: Steep
After pouring and stirring, you sit the French press lid on with the plunger up and steep the coffee for four minutes.
Step 7: Plunge
After four minutes, you press the plunger down, slowly and without pushing grounds through the filter.
Step 8: Serve
If you don’t pour the brewed coffee immediately into your cup, you risk over-extraction.
Step 9: Enjoy
Last, you enjoy your French press espresso as is, or steam your milk for a macchiato or latte. Moreover, you can pair coffee espresso French with a biscotti or chocolate.
Why You’ll Love This French Press Espresso Recipe
This recipe will show you how to make espresso in a French press quickly, easily and everyone can do it. Rich and bold espresso-like coffee in 4 minutes or less with ground coffee, and hot water. The French press is also very portable so you can take it camping or on business travel. If you make French espresso, you just heat up some water in a camping kettle or hotel coffee maker and you’re good to go.
Moreover, affordability makes you love this French press espresso recipe. At around $15, French press is one of the cheapest ways to get espresso-style coffee at home or wherever you are. You don’t have to pay for expensive café trips and lose out on the quality.
Optional Variations
In addition to French espresso, you can also try the variations below to enhance your coffee drinking experience.
Decaf Espresso
If you love espresso but don’t want the caffeine, simply use decaf coffee beans. That way you get a rich, bold taste without the extra boost. Most recipes are fine with decaf options when you’re using a French press or brewing espresso-style coffee with another method.
Low Acid Cold Brew Espresso
If you like iced espresso drinks, or a less acidic, smoother coffee, cold brew espresso is for you. You use the same coffee to water ratio, but instead of hot water, you use cool filtered water. Because cold brewing takes a long time, 12 to 20 hours, it’s worth planning ahead. This is such a beautiful method because it is mild, low acid flavor which is good for people who are sensitive to acid.
Coffee Beans
Coffee beans are usually roasted longer, darker, richer, and more intense. But you can use any roast you want to make your own espresso style coffee at home. Darker roasts give you a more traditional espresso like flavor. Medium roasts give you a different flavor than most dark or light roasts. Meanwhile, light roasts used for drip coffee, generally show other flavors.
Final Words
If you know how to make espresso in a French press. You’re ready to brew a bold, homemade coffee whenever you want. This easy method gives you the robust flavor of espresso. Moreover, the method also gives you a chance to play with a traditional French press in a new way. If you’re craving a strong coffee, grab your French press and do these things next time you want a rich.
FAQs
Without a machine, you can make espresso using a French Press or cafetiere. Finely grind your coffee beans, add hot water, steep for about four minutes and press. It is a method that gives a strong concentrated coffee like an espresso.
You only need a French press, finely ground coffee, hot water and a spoon to stir. Using filtered or alkaline water, and a burr grinder for consistent grounds is best for the best flavor.
Darker roasted beans labeled as ‘espresso beans’ will give you a more intense richer flavour. Read our guide on what is espresso to learn more about the differences between espresso and coffee beans.
Choose from select beans, grind sizes, and water quality to make black coffee taste better. If you don’t like the taste, brew with a French press or cold brew, and you’ll get a different flavor without the use of additives.
You can make an espresso-like coffee with a French press (or cafetiere). It’s not as strong as regular espresso but the resulting coffee is bold and tasty and works well in drinks like lattes or cappuccinos.
