Coffee selection
First of all, you need to choose the right coffee. A mixture of two varieties is considered optimal: Arabica and Robusta in an approximate ratio of 75:25. This is done in order, on the one hand, to give the drink a refined aroma (Arabica), and on the other hand, to make its body quite dense (Robusta). The higher the density, the more pronounced the quality of the foam. Preference should be given to well-roasted grains. From practice, packaged bean coffee from Italian producers best meets these requirements.
Preparing coffee with stable foam - useful tips
Once you understand how to make foamy coffee at home, you can start experimenting with recipes. For example, according to Turkish technology for preparing the drink, it needs to be brewed on sand. For this purpose, special mobile kits were invented, which include:
- Turk;
- mini burner;
- tray made of heat-resistant material;
- quartz sand.
If purchasing a set is not part of your plans, Turkish coffee with aromatic foam can be brewed in other ways. The main thing is to choose the right raw materials and grind the grains immediately before cooking, making sure to choose the finest grind possible. The smaller the grind, the thicker and more stable the foam will be.
The crucial point is the fire level for preparing the drink. It should be as minimal as possible. In this case, it is necessary to carefully monitor the drink, not allowing it to go beyond the edges of the pot and boil.
Gourmets recommend that before preparing coffee, slightly warm the cezve, and then the dry coffee.
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Turkish choice
The choice of Turks for brewing coffee is of considerable importance. Professionals prefer to deal with unsoldered copper vessels, arguing that this material, due to the presence of a strong oxide film on the surface, will not in any way change the taste and aroma of the prepared product. In addition, the heat capacity of copper is higher than that of other cookware metals. Heat distribution in such a container will occur more evenly. The thicker the wall, the better. In our case, this is important, but we will dwell on this later.
How to get milk froth?
More gentle people prefer to drink coffee with milk foam. This drink is also called cappuccino. You can make this coffee yourself. To obtain milk foam, you need to whip milk of medium fat content, approximately 3-6%. You can froth milk in any way available to you. You can use a cappuccino maker, if there is no such device, a regular mixer will do an excellent job for this purpose. Whip the milk, pre-chilled in the refrigerator, until a thick foam forms. Then transfer the milk froth onto the coffee, sprinkle with cinnamon and add sugar to taste. You can also add a tasty syrup, such as strawberry.
How to brew Turkish coffee with foam
The process of brewing coffee begins with heating the Turk over low heat to a temperature of approximately 120 degrees.
It’s easy to catch this moment if you leave a few drops of water in it. The water has evaporated - the Turk has warmed up enough. Now pour the prepared coffee powder into it and heat it again for 20-30 seconds over low heat, periodically shaking slightly until a pronounced aroma appears (but not burnt). This technique creates the prerequisites for a more complete saturation of the drink with caffeine. One and a half to two teaspoons are needed for one serving. The use of sugar during cooking is guaranteed to increase the density of the foam and its volume. In principle, you can do without using sugar. However, we will further consider the option of using it.
Add granulated sugar in approximately the same amount as coffee. Stir until a homogeneous mixture is obtained and again heat the pot and contents for 30 seconds. Now it’s time to fill it with unboiled cold water (from the tap). The presence of a small amount of salt in such water has a positive effect on the volume of foam. Leave an empty space of one and a half to two centimeters to the edge of the Turk, mix thoroughly in a cold state until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Brew the coffee over very low heat, carefully observing the formation of foam. Using a copper vessel allows for “volume” boiling. This technique ensures the most complete caffeine extraction and uniformity of the drink. When the foam has risen to the edges of the Turk, remove the coffee from the heat, let it stand for 30-40 seconds to settle the relatively large particles of coffee and pour it into the prepared cups in a thin stream, achieving even distribution of the foam. We do not allow a thin layer of sediment from the bottom of the Turk to get into the cups.
To turn coffee making into a ritual, it’s easy to come up with the appropriate surroundings. For example, before starting to warm up, Turks let a younger family member breathe into it, arguing that this will give the drink a special charm. Second option: before starting to make coffee, wash the Turk with a “special solution” (ordinary water). Such small jokes, coupled with the high quality of the drink, will make it special; in less than six months, your coffee will become a signature coffee, and they will call it by your last name.
It is better to serve coffee at the end of dessert, accompanied by a glass of cold still water. This also makes sense because coffee is a fairly strong dehydrator. Adding any flavoring additives or alcoholic beverages to the masterpiece you just created is inadvisable. A glass of good cognac will add significantly more positive impressions after coffee.
It is not advisable to drink coffee with foam, brewed in a Turk, with lemon, milk and other products that “kill” the foam, turning the rather complex process of preparing it into a pointless exercise. In some countries, coffee precedes meals.
How to make coffee with thick foam
Properly selected components of the future drink will become the best assistants in brewing aromatic coffee with excellent foam.
- warm the Turk and add a few tablespoons of ground coffee, sugar and spices according to your personal preference;
- add water and stir once. During the cooking process, nothing is disturbed;
- Place the Turk on low heat and wait until the foam cap begins to rise. You can’t touch it, otherwise it will burst and the taste will change. We do not boil the drink; after the foam has risen, remove it from the heat, let it settle and put it on the fire again. Such manipulations can be done up to 5 times. Optimally 3, each time carefully removing the dishes from the heat.
Turkish coffee on the sand
The technology for making Turkish coffee on sand is very similar to that described above. The fundamental difference is that additional equipment is needed: an electric or regular grill and an amount of fine quartz sand corresponding to its volume. Usually they use portioned (small) Turks. The Turks are placed in pre-hot sand so that they are as deep as possible into it. Periodically, the Turks move in the sand to maintain a stable temperature. The drink boils much faster than in the first case, so the taste of the same original coffee will be different. Turks must be metal (preferably copper).
Barista secrets
Before cooking
When figuring out how to brew coffee in a Turk, study the recommendations. Let's reveal the main secrets of professionals.
Grind the beans 10-15 minutes before making coffee so that the aroma does not have time to dissipate.
Store the prepared powder from the store in an airtight container, out of direct sunlight. Oxygen and excess heat above 20 degrees steal the taste from coffee.
If you like sweets, then add sand (or refined sugar) to the ground grains and mix the mixture thoroughly. You can stir the sugar in cold water and only then add the powder.
Pour the powder into the pot, add water and stir. Use only cold liquid to avoid starting the extraction prematurely.
During and after cooking
Coffee should be heated slowly, as described above. Therefore, place the cezve with the mixture on low heat.
The optimal proportion for the formation of cream is 18 g of coffee per 150 ml of water.
Remove the cezve from the heat as soon as a cap of foam rises. After 1-2 minutes, bring to a boil again. Repeat the procedure at least 3 times to get a delicious, expressive drink.
Enhance the flavor with a few crystals of table salt. A teaspoon of ice water at the bottom of the mug will make the finished drink transparent and silky.
Let's look at how to brew coffee with foam at home in Turkey.
Interesting! How many cups of coffee will be produced from 1 kg of beans?
Coffee in a ceramic (clay) Turk: how to brew
One of the innovations used in making coffee is ceramic Turks.
They are made from clay and undergo a long heat treatment process called firing. As a result, the surface of the vessel is covered with a very dense film, reminiscent of sintered glass. Unlike copper, the thermal conductivity of ceramics is significantly less important, which causes differences in the preparation of coffee in it. A ceramic pot takes much longer to heat up and cool down. Therefore, it is necessary to make appropriate adjustments to the technology for preparing the drink in a copper pot, described above. Under no circumstances should the foam reach the edge when boiling, otherwise all the foam will end up on the stove. Experts say that the taste of coffee brewed in this way is ideal, devoid of any foreign odors.
Ceramic Turk is not afraid of high temperatures. Be prepared for the fact that purchasing it will cost you twice or three times as much. Its main drawback is fragility. Therefore, shock loads should be avoided.
Cezve: the right material is the main condition for obtaining foam
Coffee prepared in a special cezve is no longer just a drink. It turns from ordinary into exquisite, capable of captivating with its aroma and forever making you fall in love with its taste and aftertaste.
In the distant past, concubines, sultans, kings and emperors in different parts of the world pampered themselves with coffee brewed in a cezve. Poems and poems were written about this drink, it inspired the geniuses of yesteryear, and continues to evoke a storm of emotions among modern gourmets.
So, cezva is the same Turk. It happens:
- ceramic;
- clay;
- metal.
You can brew coffee in a Turk with foam from any material, but the most reliable is copper. It is the copper cezve that is the most durable and suitable for preparing an aromatic and tasty drink at home. Copper heats up well and does not cool down for a long time, maintaining the temperature of the contents. High-quality copper pot - with environmentally friendly coating inside.
A clay pot is a great environmentally friendly option. The downside of the product is the specific taste with which the clay imbues the drink. However, it’s all about choosing the cezve manufacturer. If this product is made of Chinese Yixing clay, then foreign odors will not be absorbed into the coffee, since the material allows air to pass through, enriching the liquid with it, allowing the bouquet of taste and aroma to fully reveal itself.
You can only cook coffee in a clay pot at home, not forgetting the property of the material to absorb odors.
A universal option is a ceramic Turk. Of all three, it is the most fragile and can become unusable even with a sharp change in temperature. Compared to metal and clay cezves, ceramic is the most expensive and requires special care. But everyone can make coffee with foam in such a Turk the first time, and this is a significant advantage.
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Coffee in a geyser Turk
The use of a geyser turk is fundamentally different from everything stated above. A coffee geyser consists of two metal vessels: the lower one is used to fill in water, the upper one is used to store brewed coffee. The vessels are connected to each other. The connection between them is carried out through a valve, which is activated when the pressure in the lower container increases when water boils. The steam passes through a strainer with pre-filled ground coffee, is saturated with its taste and smell, and then condenses in the upper vessel. This technology is used in an improved form when preparing espresso coffee.
In this case, medium or even coarse grind coffee is used. The amount of it poured into the strainer depends on how many servings you need to get. However, you can’t count on getting decent foam. It is easy to determine the moment of completion of coffee brewing by the characteristic “gurgling” sound.
Above are four options for preparing the miracle drink called “coffee”. Each of them has its supporters and opponents, and debates about whose coffee is better brewed do not subside. Try, experiment, find your unique version, share it with friends.
The shape and size of the Turks matter
In order to prepare a drink from coffee beans that is not only aromatic and tasty, but also has an airy foam, you need to pay attention to the shape and size of the Turka. Large and wide cezves are not the best solution for perfect coffee.
The main requirement for a high-quality cezve is a narrow neck. It is this that allows the formation of a stable foam without loss of aroma during the cooking process.
Beginning coffee gourmets can try brewing coffee in a cezve with a funnel shape that does not allow the foam to go beyond the container. A cone-shaped Turk will speed up the settling of coffee grounds to the bottom and this also needs to be taken into account.
A delicate point is the width of the bottom of the vessel. The wider it is, the faster the drink will heat up while maintaining the aroma.
The best option for a cezve suitable for making coffee with foam - 100 ml capacity. More capacious Turks have the right to life, but it would be correct to brew a drink in them for exactly one serving.
How is coffee foam formed?
Foam owes its origin to two things:
The essence of the grinding process includes not only grinding the coffee beans, but also enriching them with oxygen. Oxygen occupies all the free space between the coffee grains and, along with them, enters the Turk.
When heated, the air rushes upward and lingers on small grains of coffee that float on the surface of the water. They hold him and do not allow the Turk to leave. If the grind is coarse, then all the coffee will be at the bottom and will not be able to retain oxygen.