Caffè Macchiato

Caffe Macchiato and a Good Read

Caffè Macchiato

Macchiato means "marked" in Italian.  This "marked coffee" is distinguished from plain espresso by being "marked" or "stained" by the milk.  It is usual to have only a little bacio of milk in contrast to the larger milk doses of a latte.

The instructions here are for producing espresso with a "mocha pot" or similar device.  While this lacks the abilities of a machinacaffe, it is rather amazing how close this inexpensive piece of equipment can get.  Keep in mind that mocha pots were the old way of brewing espresso.  What is the difference between the old and new ways?  Well, for starters $550.

The Grind

The grind of the coffee should be finely ground "espresso" grade coffee.  Medium roast coffee works best and the coffee should be ground using a burr grinder.  (If all that is available is a whirling-blades grinder, buy the espresso pre-ground.  Whirling-blades are worse than stale grounds)  If the espresso is already ground, it is helpful to store it in the freezer.

a firm, even tamp

The Tamp

Fill the portafilter just above half-way with the grains and gently tamp with the back of a teaspoon.  The goal is a uniform surface with no air-pockets or stray grains.  The ideal is for the water to pass evenly through the bed of coffee.  If the grains are tamped too hard, the pressure will not be enough to brew the coffee.  If the grains are not tamped hard enough, the coffee will be insipid and no crema will develop.

The Water

Use filtered and room temperature water.  Fill the reservoir to just below the bottom level of the portafilter.  It is important to have this ratio of water to head-space because this determines the initial steam pressure when the water boils.  This steam pressure is the single most important variable in pulling the shot.

Brewing

1

2

3

Once the elements are in place, open the lid of the mocha pot and set the burner to just below high.  The goal is to bring the water to a clean boil as quickly as possible but not bring it to such a rolling boil that it sends steam through the coffee bed.  Steam through the coffee bed will extract bitter coffee tannins and otherwise ruin the shot.  So the ideal is to quickly achieve and maintain a simmer in the reservoir.  Leaving the lid open allows observation of the extraction.
Pulling the perfect shot should look like this:

1. Sounds of the water heating, no coffee coming from the spout.
2. Right before a boil is reached, black coffee comes in a stream from the spout.
3. Shortly after a boil is reached, caramel colored crema comes from the spout and continues until the shot is done.
4. The final ratio is equal crema and black espresso.  The crema begins to dissipate into the espresso.

3a

4

The Milk

milk heating

poured shot, dissipating crema

Heat the milk in a boiling water bath until it is 160 F.  Any colder and the milk cannot be frothed and any hotter and the proteins will coagulate.(use a thermometer)  Heat a whisk to the same temperature and beat the milk until silky. (about 5 mins)  Pour the milk over the freshly pulled espresso shot.

a finished macchiato

Macchiato

A macchiato should taste something like a piece of 70% cocoa chocolate.  Even though there is no sugar added, the lactose from the milk combines with the cocoa elements of the espresso and the crema to give the illusion of chocolate.  Thus, the "chocolate taste" is the best way to know whether the macchiato is well made or not.  This laurel wreath can take a while to achieve ... we brewed 1.5 lbs of espresso over a period of 4 months until the moment was reached.  It is helpful to change only one variable at a time.  A recommended coffee is LaVazza (la vat za) Espresso Blend.

macchiati(1)

macchiati(2)

Pain Sur Poolish (Easy Method)

fresh pain sur poolish

Pain Sur Poolish 

A fresh baguette is incomparable.  Here are some tips and a process to ease the accomplishment of this end.  Do not be discouraged at early failure.  Bread making is an art, not a science and, therefore, requires patient devotion.  We are mere neophytes but he wins who waits ...

Nota Bene: the best book on this subject is Joe Ortiz,  The Village Baker: Classic Regional Breads From Europe And North America, Ten Speed Press 2003.  Ortiz' treatment of the art of bread-making is thorough but comprehensible.  He also treats the regional breads of France, Italy, and Germany where he has visited many times.  It is a first-hand account of European breads by a master artisan.

Proofing the yeast:

1. proofing yeast

2. proofed yeast

1) 1/2 cup lukewarm water (105 F, to be precise, err on the side of colder)

2) Sprinkle and float 1 tsp of yeast so it floats
on top of the water.

3) Sprinkle a pinch of sugar over the yeast.

4) Wait until the mixture is  bubbly (10-15 mins)

Mixing the poolish:

1. mixed poolish

1) Place 1 cup of flour in a bowl and make a fountain.(low gluten flour)

2) Pour the proofed yeast into the fountain.

3) Rinse the yeast cup with 1/2 cup of lukewarm water (100 F)

2. poolish rising

4) Mix thoroughly and scrape down sides.  (resulting mixture is 50/50 water and flour.)

5) Place in a cool oven alongside a bowl of boiling hot water. (Oven temperature should be between 90-100 F)

3. fallen poolish

6) Wait around 4 hrs until it rises to twice its volume and falls. (Yeast will have consumed most of the available sugars in the poolish and will have multiplied substantially.)

Mixing the dough:

mixed dough

1) Place 2 cups of flour (high gluten) in a bowl and make a fountain add a pinch of sea salt.

2) Add 1/4 cup of water to poolish.

3) Add poolish to the fountain.

proofing dough

4) Mix until very elastic and no longer sticky. (you are developing the gluten by kneading)

5) Let dough rest for 10 mins.  This is a "gluten rest" and will give time for gluten to form.

6) Resume vigorous kneading until dough is stiff and (hopefully) satin smooth.

risen dough

 7) Turn into an oiled bowl.(1)

8) Let dough rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size.





 

Making the baguettes:

loaves

1) Preheat oven to 425 F.

2) Separate dough into two halves.

3) Fold in on itself until very taut and let rest 5 mins.

4) Form into loaves by folding only in one direction, keeping the tension, let rest 5 mins

6) Stretch into baguettes and place in or on a pan depending on the pan.

7) Slice thrice (cuts should be angled at 30 degrees, this is important to let the loaves bloom evenly in the oven and it will let the wee folk out)

stretched loaves

8) Let proof until dough no longer springs readily back when poked (It will spring back slightly, that is good.)

9) Toss a 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of the oven (not on glass door, not of the glass lights, they will break)

10) Put baguettes into the oven and bake for 10 mins.

11) Rotate pan and bake for 10mins

12) Rotate pan and finish baking (probably another 10 mins)

Testing done-ness:

1) Baguettes should be a golden to dark brown all over.

2) Should sound hollow when rapped.

3) Should start to crackle when taken out of the oven for 2 mins

(in fact, the crackle is the sign of a good loaf.)

Eating:

1) Baguette should be cooled to warm before cutting

2) Baguette should be eaten within 4 hrs

3) In the unlikely event that is it not eaten within 4 hrs, split baguette in twain and rub each half with olive oil and garlic, bake in a 350 F oven for 20 mins wrapped in foil

4) In the very unlikely even that it is not eaten within 24 hrs, cube baguette and sautee with olive oil and garlic until crisp croûtons are achieved.

-----------------

1. Due to some feedback from users, it seems necessary to mention that the bowl be merely lightly oiled, despite the goodness of olive oil--save whatever oil one may want to put into the bowl to dip the finished bread into later.

pizza

The dough for one baguette can also be used to make one 16" pizza.  Just stretch out the ball into a circle instead of making it into a loaf.  Do not roll it with a rolling pin as this will remove all air from the dough and result in a non-fluffy and non-wonderful crust.

Bake on the bottom rack of a 470 F oven until dark brown crust and cheese is achieved. Do not use lots of tomato sauce or it will prevent the centre crust from cooking.