Making a great cup of coffee at home doesn't have to be complicated or difficult - all you need to do is follow a few simple steps.

Mitch Monaghan, Sydney's Nespresso coffee ambassador, shared some tips to master the art of preparing the perfect cup of coffee.

Preparing a perfect cup of coffee is simple as long as you know the right techniques. Credit: Getty Images.​

According to the 34-year-old, the first thing that people should remember about preparing coffee is to ensure that its temperature doesn't drop quickly.

Start by preheating your cup with hot water - this will help ensure that your coffee stays hot and doesn't get diluted by a cold cup.

Mitch explained: "On average, a cold cup can steal up to 20 per cent of your coffee’s temperature so it pays to heat your cup before you use it."

"Fill the cup with hot water to preheat. It's a simple step that many people miss but you'll notice the difference in coffee quality and the brew will stay warmer for longer."

Next, choose your coffee and milk ratio - for a cappuccino, this should be 1/3 espresso to 1/3 steamed milk to 1/3 foamed milk.

Then, it's time to froth the milk.

The coffee ambassador noted that full cream or semi-skimmed milk froth is better than non-dairy based milk, so if you're not following a plant-based diet, you might want to opt for dairy milk.

You can do this easily with a milk frother - just pour the milk into the frother and let it do its work.

He said: "Full cream milk allows you to create a full and thick foam while skimmed milk will deliver foam with larger bubbles."

"Using a milk frother is the easiest way to easily achieve perfectly frothed milk - the Nespresso Aeroccino3 Milk Frother and Barista Milk Frother are great options, especially when starting out."

Sydney’s Nespresso ambassador Mitch Monaghan shared some tips for preparing a delicious, barista-grade cuppa. Credit: The Daily Mail UK.​

Once the milk is frothy, pour it slowly and evenly into the cup, being careful not to overfill.

Mitch explained: "Pour the milk low and slow into the cup, lifting slowly as you finish. Patience in pouring is key here as it gives you a silky, blended coffee."

Finally, select a higher intensity coffee capsule for milk coffees - this will give you a richer, more flavourful cup of coffee.

"A delicious cappuccino all comes down to the perfect balance of the intense coffee flavour and velvety frothy milk," he quipped.

"To achieve that intense flavour, I'd always recommend a darker roasted blend for your cappuccino - my go-to picks for a great cappuccino are Arpeggio from our Original system and Double Espresso Chiaro from our Vertuo system."

As for a flat white, Mitch said that the recipe is basically a combination of espresso and plain milk — it doesn't have to be frothed.

To prepare this, you should use a double espresso to "bring the coffee and milk ratio into balance".

And there you have it - the perfect cup of barista-made coffee, right at home!

What are your thoughts on this? We also want to know what your favourite snack is for you to have with your cuppa? Let us know in the comments below!

 

[Ricci]

What a lot of faffing about. Just give me a cup of instant and I'm happy. Coffee snobs make me laugh, the media has done a brilliant job of brainwashing people.

 

[Mindygirl12022]

That sounds like what I am already doing for my coffee each day, but it's still a mystery how the Barista is able to make the patterns in the milk when all I get on mine is the froth on top of the milk. Does anyone know?

 

[joshram]

What a lot of faffing about. Just give me a cup of instant and I'm happy. Coffee snobs make me laugh, the media has done a brilliant job of brainwashing people.

Actually, its the other way around. Time was that we could only get coffee beans, had to grind them to make coffee. Then 'instant' coffee was advertised, brainwashing people. Instant is O.K. when you're in a hurry or do not have the means of making a proper cup, but you cannot compare the flavour.

 

[Ricci]

Actually, its the other way around. Time was that we could only get coffee beans, had to grind them to make coffee. Then 'instant' coffee was advertised, brainwashing people. Instant is O.K. when you're in a hurry or do not have the means of making a proper cup, but you cannot compare the flavour.

Yes, there was a time when only whole beans were available and the only choice you had was which brand and where it was grown, but basically only one flavour, coffee. These days there are so many different ways of having your coffee, not to mention the syrups and added flavours. Everybody seems to have their favourite which, according to them, is the only way to drink it. Everyone's an expert. People would rather get up, jump in their car, drive to a cafe, spend and inordinate amount of money for a small cardboard cup then drive home again when for the same amount of money they could make umpteen cups at home as we all used to. Tell me they're not coffee snobs.

 

[Thecheesequeen]

I used to drink instant coffee, then bought a coffee machine after a visit to a friend who had one while living in Switzerland, and would never go back to instant. So yes, I’m an unapologetic coffee snob.