Caffè Americano: Espresso Lengthened with Hot Water

By

Source: James Hoffmann.

Americano · Italian

A strong, hot coffee made by pouring hot water over a single shot of espresso, optionally topped with steamed milk and sugar.

Prep2 min
Cook3 min
Total5 min
DifficultyEasy
Per serving3 kcal
Servings1Recipe makes 1
Your ratingSaved in this browser only.
Allergens (EU 14)
GlutenCrustaceansEggsFishPeanutsSoybeansMilkTree nutsCeleryMustardSesameSulphitesLupinMolluscs

Always check the labels of the products you use.

Method

  1. 1

    Warm. Warm the 180 ml mug with hot water and tip it out.

  2. 2

    Pull. Pull a single shot of 30 ml espresso straight into the mug.

  3. 3

    Pour. Slowly pour about 150 ml of the hot water (about 70 °C, not boiling) over the espresso to fill the mug.

  4. 4

    Crema. Pouring water onto espresso keeps some crema; for more crema, put the water in first and pull the shot onto it.

  5. 5

    Serve. Serve at once, with a little steamed milk and a demerara sugar cube on the side for those who want them.

Storage

Drink immediately whilst hot. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).

EU nutrition claims

  • Low energy: 2 kcal per 100 ml (limit ≤ 20 kcal)
  • Low fat: 0.1 g fat per 100 ml (limit ≤ 1.5 g)
  • Low saturated fat: 0 g saturated fat per 100 ml, 0% of energy (limits ≤ 0.75 g and ≤ 10%)
  • Sugar-free: 0 g sugars per 100 ml (limit ≤ 0.5 g)
  • Low salt: 0.01 g salt per 100 ml (limit ≤ 0.3 g)

Per 100 ml of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 125 ml a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide

Caffeine · Free sugars

Caffeine
  • Per serving: about 64 mg caffeine (serving: 1 cup (single espresso, 30 ml)). Source: 30 ml espresso × USDA FDC SR Legacy #171891 (espresso, 212 mg/100 g).
  • Scaling: making more servings does not change the caffeine in each serving; what counts is how many servings you drink in a day. 1 serving: 64 mg · 2 servings: 128 mg · 3 servings: 192 mg · 4 servings: 256 mg (above EFSA 200 mg at once).
  • General guideline: EFSA Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine (2015): for healthy adults, up to 200 mg in a single dose and up to 400 mg per day do not raise safety concerns. 1 serving = 16 % of 400 mg. EFSA
Sugar (daily guide)

0 g per serving

0 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0 % of the ideal 25 g

Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO

Equipment

  • espresso machine
  • kettle
  • warmed 180 ml mug
  • small jug for the milk

Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central

Per servingAmount
Energy3 kcal
Protein0 g
Carbohydrate0.5 g
of which sugars0 g
of which free sugars0 g
Fat0.1 g
of which saturates0 g
Fibre0 g
Salt0.01 g

Protein per 100 kcal

0 g High protein needs ≥ 5 g per 100 kcal (20% of energy) and ≥ 10 g per serving

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values