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Decaf espresso

Vegetarian

Espresso pulled from decaffeinated beans: the same 1:2 recipe (18 g in, 36 g out) as a regular shot. Low in caffeine, not caffeine-free — a little always remains.

Decaf espresso is an Italian hot drink, ready in about 4 minutes and made with decaffeinated ground coffee. It serves 1 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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A serving of Decaf espresso
Photo: 13027327 / Pixabay · Pixabay Content License
Prep
3 min
Cook
1 min
Total
4 min
Serves
1
Level
Intermediate
Calories
4

Ingredients

1 double shot

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the machine (brew water 90–94 °C) and warm the cup.

  2. Step 2

    Grind 18 g of decaf beans (opens in a new tab) fine into the basket, level and tamp evenly.

  3. Step 3

    Pull to about 36 g in 25–30 seconds. If it runs fast and tastes sour, grind finer.

    Decaffeinated beans are more porous and often extract faster than regular beans roasted the same way.

  4. Step 4

    Serve at once.

      A finished dish being plated
      How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    Not attributed to one place · Origin uncertainCommercial decaffeination began in Germany in the early 20th century; decaf espresso is made wherever espresso is.Also popular in Italy, United States, United Kingdom, Germany
    Dish
    Snack · Dessert · Hot drinks
    Cooking method
    Boiled
    Taste
    bitter, rich, aromatic / warmly spiced
    Diet
    Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
    All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
    Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Everyday
    Techniques
    Boiling

    Allergens

    None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    4 kcal per serving

    Estimated

    1 serving ≈ 61 g · recipe makes 1

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 11%
    • Carbohydrate 89%
    • Fat 0%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy4 kcal6 kcal
    Protein0.1 g0.2 g
    Carbohydrate0.8 g1.2 g
    Net carbohydrate0.8 g1.2 g
    Sugars0 g0 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre0 g0 g
    Fat0 g0 g
    Saturated fat0 g0 g
    Trans fat0 g0 g
    Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
    Sodium2 mg3 mg
    Salt equivalent0 g0 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    35 mg
    Calcium
    7 mg
    Iron
    0 mg
    Magnesium
    4 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    0 µg
    Vitamin C
    0 mg
    Vitamin D
    0 µg
    Vitamin B12
    0 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    0 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Decaffeinated ground coffee: Instant coffee powder used as a stand-in for the soluble part of roasted ground coffee (as for regular ground coffee); list the grams actually consumed with consumedGrams.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Clean the grinder or purge a few grams of decaf through it if you switch from regular beans, so the shot isn't mixed.

    Storage

    • Drink immediately.
    Is decaf caffeine-free?

    No. Decaffeination removes most of the caffeine, but a small amount remains. For a drink with no caffeine at all, try roasted barley (caffè d'orzo) or chicory.

    How is coffee decaffeinated?

    Green beans are treated before roasting with water (as in the Swiss Water process), liquid carbon dioxide, or a solvent such as ethyl acetate or methylene chloride, which is then removed.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Customise in Sip & Blend

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    The body of the dish

    Gravy, sauce & base

    Used in steps 2, 3

    Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

    Customise in Sip & Blend

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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