You can't beat a regular espresso made using high-quality arabica coffee with an espresso machine. However, we don't all have the time or funds to brew artisan coffee at home. Sometimes a quick instant brew is a much easier and cost-effective option.
Although instant coffee is a simple way to make coffee, producing a brew with the same rich flavor and full body as espresso shot is difficult. In this article, you'll learn how to make espresso from instant coffee that's almost as good as the real thing.
What You Need to Make an Instant Espresso at Home
You don't need much to make an espresso-like brew from instant coffee. You can make instant espresso with a couple of ingredients — no brewing equipment is needed.
Here's what you need to make instant espresso:
Ingredients
- Instant espresso coffee
- Filtered water
Equipment
- Kettle or stovetop pan
- Teaspoon
- Regular-sized coffee mug
- Espresso cup
The Best Instant Coffee for Espresso
The most important aspect of making instant espresso is the coffee powder. Although you can make a concentrated shot of coffee with any instant coffee powder, you'll struggle to recreate the bold, rich flavors of espresso.
Opt for an instant espresso blend such as Cafely's Instant Vietnamese Espresso. Although nothing beats a real espresso, our instant blend comes close — producing a rich, dark, bold brew with a potent caffeine kick. Sold in multipacks of 16 individually wrapped servings, each sachet contains enough coffee to brew a double shot of espresso.
How to Make Instant Espresso: Step-by-Step
Making instant espresso is easy with the Instant Vietnamese Espresso from Cafely. This instant coffee comes pre-measured in individual sachets, so you make the perfect shot every time without fail.
Here's how to make a shot of espresso using Cafely Vietnamese Instant Espresso:
1. Boil the Water
First, boil a cup of filtered water in a kettle or pan. The amount of water you use will affect the strength of the coffee. For a regular black coffee, we recommend 240 mL (one cup) of water. For a large (double) espresso shot you’ll need 60 mL (2 oz) of water.
2. Pour the Sachet into a Cup
Empty the contents of the Vietnamese Instant Espresso into a dry cup.
3. Make the Espresso
Pour 60 mL of water into the cup and stir thoroughly to combine. Adjust the water content to taste.
4. Enjoy
It’s as simple as that. Enjoy your espresso shot while hot or combine it with milk, sugar, or cream to make your favorite espresso-based beverages…
Beverages You Can Make With Instant Espresso
With Cafely’s Vietnamese Instant Espresso, you can make almost any beverage you can make with a regular shot of espresso. Whether you enjoy a macchiato with a dash of milk, a velvety latte, or a rich and creamy iced coffee, instant espresso has you covered.
Here are five espresso-based brews you can make with the Cafely Instant Vietnamese Espresso:
1. Instant Latte
A latte is a smooth, creamy, velvety coffee made with espresso and milk that has been steamed until light and frothy. It offers a mellow, creamy flavor with a mild coffee taste.
Here's how to make a latte with instant espresso:
- Prepare one sachet of Cafely Instant Vietnamese Espresso with 60 mL of freshly boiled water.
- Heat 200 mL of whole milk in a pan (use a steam wand instead if you have one).
- Froth the milk with a milk frother or fine whisk until light, frothy, and velvety.
- Gently pour the milk over the espresso shot in a large coffee mug.
- Stir gently, sweeten with sugar (optional), and enjoy while warm.
2. Instant Iced Coffee
Iced coffee is a refreshing chilled beverage that's best enjoyed while the sun is shining. There's no “one way” to make iced coffee — its basic form combines a concentrated shot of coffee, milk, and ice. Our instant espresso is perfect for iced coffee.
Here's how to make an instant iced coffee:
- Dissolve one sachet of Cafely Instant Vietnamese Espresso in 60 mL of hot water. Add sugar to sweeten at this stage (optional).
- Allow the shot to cool for 10 to 20 minutes. You can speed up this process by pouring the shot back and forth between two cups.
- Fill a tall serving glass with ice.
- Pour the espresso shot into the glass.
- Fill the rest of the glass with cold, whole milk or a dairy-free alternative.
- Stir the beverage gently and enjoy it while ice-cold with or without a straw.
3. Instant Macchiato
A macchiato is a bold espresso drink with a dash of foamed milk. The small amount of milk takes the bitter edge off the coffee without interrupting its rich, bold character.
Here's how to make a macchiato with instant espresso:
- Prepare one sachet of Cafely Instant Vietnamese Espresso with 60 mL of hot water.
- Froth two to three tablespoons of milk using a steam wand, milk frother, or fine whisk until light and foamy.
- Spoon the frothed milk gently over the espresso shot, avoiding the liquid at the bottom of the cup.
- Serve and enjoy while warm.
4. Instant Flat White
The flat white is a smooth, creamy espresso-based coffee that contains less foam and more milk than a macchiato but not as much milk as a latte.
Here's how to make a flat white with instant espresso:
- In a regular-sized coffee mug, prepare one sachet of Cafely Instant Vietnamese Espresso with 60 to 80 mL of freshly boiled water.
- Heat 150 mL of whole milk in a pan (use a steam wand if you have one).
- Lightly froth the warmed milk with a milk frother or fine whisk until a light, velvety texture is achieved.
- Gently pour the milk over the espresso and stir gently.
- Sweeten with sugar (optional), serve, and enjoy while warm.
5. Instant Mocha Coffee
A mocha coffee is a sweet, creamy beverage that combines the bitter, nutty flavors of espresso coffee with the sweet, dark flavors of chocolate. It's the perfect brew for the coffee and chocolate lover.
Here's how to make a mocha with instant espresso:
- Prepare one sachet of Cafely Instant Vietnamese Espresso with 60 mL of hot water.
- Add one to two tablespoons of cocoa powder or dark chocolate syrup to the espresso and stir to combine.
- Heat 200 mL of milk in a pan until hot but not boiled.
- Froth the milk using a milk frother or fine whisk until it's light and velvety.
- Pour the milk over the espresso and stir gently to combine.
- Sweeten with sugar (if needed), serve, and enjoy while hot.
FAQs: Making Espresso with Instant Coffee
Want to learn more about espresso, instant coffee, and other coffee brewing methods?
Check out the answers to these frequently asked questions:
1. How is Instant Coffee Made?
Instant coffee is made by brewing coffee into a concentrated liquid and either spray drying (hot air) or freeze drying to create granules or powder. These granules or powders are sold as “instant coffee” — when combined with hot water, a rich, dark coffee drink is produced.
2. How is Espresso Made?
Espresso is made by grinding coffee beans (usually arabica) to a fine powder before forcing hot water through it at high pressure. The result is a rich, concentrated shot of coffee with a creamy layer on top (the crema).
3. How Much Caffeine in Instant Coffee?
The caffeine in instant coffee varies from brand to brand. Instant coffee is usually made from robusta beans which contain more caffeine than coffee arabica. However, a large portion of the caffeine is lost during the manufacturing process of instant coffee. A typical 240 mL (8 oz) cup contains 30 to 90 mg of caffeine.
4. How Much Caffeine in Espresso?
A typical 30 mL (1 oz) shot of espresso contains around 63 mg of caffeine. However, the bean, roast level, and extraction time can alter caffeine content.
5. Can You Make Iced Coffee with Instant Espresso?
Yes. Instant espresso such as our Vietnamese Instant Espresso is perfect for making iced coffee in a flash. Simply take one sachet, combine it with 60 mL of water, and cool. Pour the shot into a tall glass, add ice and milk, stir, and serve.
6. What’s the Best Way to Make Espresso?
The best way to make espresso is with an espresso machine. Fresh, 100% dark roast arabica beans such as Cafely DaLat should be used with clean, filtered water. Our Instant Vietnamese Espresso is a quick and easy alternative to brewing a traditional espresso. However, you'll never beat the “real thing.”
7. Can You Make a Latte With Instant Espresso?
Yes. You can make a latte with instant espresso. However, the beverage won't have the same depth of flavor and velvety texture as a latte made with an espresso machine. You can make a latte by combining instant coffee with steamed or frothed milk. Alternatively, try our Instant Vietnamese Milk Latte sachets.
8. What’s the Difference Between an Espresso and a Ristretto?
Espresso and ristretto are both concentrated coffees made by forcing hot water at pressure through fine-ground arabica beans. However, a ristretto uses less water — 15 to 22 mL compared to the 30 mL used for espresso. The result is a super-concentrated shot with a high caffeine content.
9. What’s the Best Coffee for Espresso?
The best coffee for espresso is 100% dark roast arabica. These beans produce a smooth, silky coffee with rich, bold flavors. We recommend our DaLat coffee for espresso shots and espresso-based drinks.
10. Can You Add Milk to Instant Espresso?
Yes. You can add milk to instant espresso. Add a dash of frothed or steamed milk for a macchiato, half a cup of frothed or steamed milk for a latte, or dilute with water and regular whole milk for a simple white coffee.
