The coffee plunger. The cafetière. The French press. All are names that refer to one and the same method: a tall, cylindrical glass jug whose lid contains a stainless-steel rod and integrated metal mesh – the plunger. After steeping the coffee for a few minutes, the plunger is carefully pressed down to separate the brewed coffee from the grounds. What’s special here is that the coffee floats freely in the water without any pressure. Baristas call this “full-immersion” brewing. In contrast to brewing with filter paper, the aromatic compounds, fine coffee particles and oils aren’t filtered out, resulting in a rich, full and aromatic coffee.
Our tip:
We recommend transferring the coffee from the French press to a thermos flask or jug and drinking it within an hour. Otherwise it loses too much of its flavour and aroma.
Ingredients & equipment
- A French press (0.35 l)
- 20 g fresh, coarsely ground coffee
- 320 ml hot water
Here’s what to do:
- Preheat the French press with hot water, then pour this water away.
- Add the ground coffee. Then add around 100 ml of water and leave the mixture for a moment to bloom.
- Pour over the remaining water and stir. Place the lid on the beaker and push the plunger down a little to keep the coffee grounds under water.
- Leave the coffee to steep for 3–4 minutes according to taste, slowly push the plunger down to the bottom of the beaker and then serve. The coffee can become bitter if it remains in the French press for too long.
