Cuisinart EM200U, User Manual

Page: 26 / 45

2
Tamping the Coffee Grounds
ß If you choose to use ground espresso instead of pods, tamping the coffee is a very important part of the
coffee making process.
ß Use the scoop supplied to fill the filter basket, then using the tamping tool (flat end of the measuring
scoop), tamp (press down) down the grounds with moderate pressure.
ß Add more coffee and tamp again if necessary to bring coffee to level.
ß Do not overfill the filter basket. The ground coffee should be tamped with moderate pressure. If the
coffee is not tamped securely, there is a chance that the water will flow through the coffee too rapidly and
the coffee will be under-extracted.
N B:
If the coffee is tamped too firmly, the water will flow through the coffee too slowly and the coffee
will be over-extracted.
Water
ß When brewing espresso, ensure the water flows through the filter at the correct pace. The water flow
can be adjusted by varying the pressure with which the coffee is tamped (pressed down) in the filter, or by
altering the grind of the coffee.
ß If the speed of the water flow is too slow, the coffee will be over-extracted and will be very dark and
bitter, with a spotted and un-even crema (froth) on the top.
ß If the speed of the water flow is too fast, the coffee will be under-extracted and the supreme flavour will
not develop. The coffee will be diluted and there will be an in-sufficient amount of crema on the top.