How to cook coffee

Information for coffee in our free cooking ingredients collection.

Coffee

Coffee beans are actually the seeds of a cherry-like fruit of the semitropical coffee plant, which is grown in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, and parts of Africa and Central America. The seeds are separated from the coffee fruit and then roasted. During roasting they acquire the rich, dark-brown color (a result of caramelization, melting, and subsequent browning of sugars in the beans) most people associate with coffee beans. Roasting time affects both the flavor and the color of coffee beans. Generally, the darker the beans, the longer they have been roasted. Longer roasted beans also typically have the most intense flavor.

There are dozens of varieties of coffees, many of them named after their country or port of origin. However, all coffee beans used commercially are one of two main species: Coffea arabica and Coffea robusta. Most of the beans used around the world are arabica beans, which are grown at a high altitude, require plenty of rainfall, and are considered somewhat difficult to cultivate. Robusta beans flourish at lower altitudes with less intense care.

Arabica beans, however, are thought to produce the finest flavor. They are also the most expensive coffee beans. For this reason, supermarket coffees contain mostly robusta beans, although some arabica beans may be mixed in for a richer flavor. Despite the less intense flavor of robusta beans, they have about twice the caffeine content of arabica beans.

Coffee beans can be roasted, ground, mixed, brewed, and flavored in various ways. The result? Numerous specialty coffee drinks for coffee connoisseurs to choose from:

Espresso - This dark, strong, and concentrated coffee is made by forcing hot water through coffee that is very finely ground, darkly roasted, and specially blended. It is so rich that when served unadorned, only a small quantity is needed. Thus, espresso usually is served in a tiny cup, often referred to as a demitasse. Espresso also may be the foundation of other specialty coffee drinks.

Cafe au lait - From the French for “coffee with milk”, cafe au lait is made with equal parts of regular coffee and scalded milk. In France and Quebec, cafe au lait is considered a morning tradition.

Cafe latte - Very similar to cafe au lait, this coffee beverage is equal parts of foamy steamed milk and espresso.

Cafe mocha - More dessert than beverage, cafe mocha is made with espresso, chocolate syrup, and foamy, steamed milk. The chocolate syrup adds considerable calories to this coffee drink.

Cappuccino - This is espresso topped with the creamy foam from steamed milk. Some of this milk may be added to the espresso. Sometimes sweetened cinnamon, cocoa, or vanilla powder is sprinkled over the foamed milk.

Turkish coffee - An intensely flavored coffee beverage, Turkish coffee is made by bringing finely ground coffee to a boil several times. Sugar, water, and spices such as cinnamon or cardamom can be added. The flavor of Turkish coffee is so rich that only a small quantity is served.

The growing interest in specialty coffees has spurred an interest in the types of coffee beans used at home for the regular brew. Once, only gourmands bought whole beans and ground them at home. Now, coffee grinders are considered routine kitchen accessories. Specialty coffee makers are also becoming more commonplace.

A welcome consequence is that excellent coffee can be made at home. The outcome of home brewing, although somewhat dependent on the equipment you own, is affected mainly by the type of coffee you buy. Perhaps the best thing you can do to ensure a good cup of coffee is to buy fresh, whole beans, grinding them just before brewing. Follow grinding instructions on your grinder carefully, paying particular attention to recommended grind times.

Avoid beans or preground coffee packed in the large, traditional round canisters. This packing method almost always allows some oxygen into the container, which can cause the coffee to become stale. Instead, look for coffee sold in vacuum-packed bags, which have a mechanism that allows gas in the container to escape but does not let any in.

At home, store coffee at room temperature and try to use it as soon as possible. If you use coffee from a can and it will be open for more than 2 weeks, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If the can will be open for more than 1 month, place the coffee in an airtight container in the freezer. Return the coffee to the refrigerator or freezer immediately after measuring the amount you will use.

Preparation tips

In addition to using fresh beans and grinding them just before brewing, other ways to improve the flavor of home-brewed coffee are the following:

Start off with clean equipment - Oil residues from previous batches of coffee can cling to equipment and affect flavor, particularly if flavored coffee was used.

Use fresh, cold water - Using hot water will result in flatter-tasting coffee. Also, make sure the water is free of minerals or other chemicals. If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, consider using filtered or bottled water.

Use the right amount of coffee - For traditional coffee-brewing machines, 1 tablespoon of coffee grounds is recommended for each 6 ounces of water. Adjust the amount of coffee grounds to your preference.

Don’t steep coffee grounds in the coffee too long - This extracts bitter substances from the grounds that affect the taste of the coffee.

Consider the filter - Paper filters may affect the texture of the coffee. Consider using a metal filter in your coffee maker instead. Metal filters are available for most types of machines.

Avoid flavored coffees - Many of these coffees are made with lower-quality beans. Instead of buying them, grind your own beans and add coffee flavorings of your own. Most coffee shops sell essences and flavorings just for this purpose.

Serving suggestions

Coffee complements various foods and can be served by itself or mixed with other flavorings throughout the day. Coffees with cream or milk are typically considered morning coffees, and espresso is considered a beverage for later in the day. If you are a frequent coffee drinker, keep in mind that coffee is high in caffeine (up to 105 milligrams per 6 ounces cup). In addition, specialty coffees can be high in calories or fat if made with cream or whole milk or flavorings such as chocolate. Use skim milk instead of whole milk in coffee drinks whenever possible.

What is instant coffee?

Instant coffee (almost always made from robusta beans) is simply freshly brewed liquid coffee that has been dehydrated into a powder. Adding water to this powder rehydrates the coffee, thus resulting in a quick, if perhaps less flavorful, cup of coffee. Powder particles are processed to look more like traditional coffee grounds.

Some instant coffee brands are freeze-dried. This means that the coffee solution was frozen to extract the water from it. The resulting product looks more like traditional coffee grounds and has a richer flavor.

Decaffeinating coffee beans

Virtually all coffee beans naturally contain caffeine, a chemical stimulant that can increase heart rate and blood pressure and act as a diuretic and may have some addictive properties.

There are several ways to remove the caffeine from coffee beans. One method uses a solvent to remove caffeine chemically. The beans are washed afterward to remove the solvent. Roasting also removes any traces. A second method is the Swiss water process, in which steam is used to heat the beans. Then, the outer layer of the beans, which contains most of the caffeine, is scraped off. The Sanka brand of coffee, introduced in the early part of the 20th century, was the first caffeine-free coffee developed in the United States. Its name comes from the French term “sans cafeine”, which means without caffeine.

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