Given Americans' love affair with coffee, it's surprising more people don't roast their own beans at home.
Not only does home roasting ensure the freshest, most splendid cup of coffee, it's also a money saver and takes just minutes to prepare enough beans for several pots.
"Almost everyone knows how exquisite fresh bread is," says Kenneth Davids, author of "Home Coffee Roasting." "But the flavor and fragrance of coffee one day out of the roaster is a virtually forgotten pleasure."
Here's what you need to know to roast at home.
The basics
All coffee starts as green (unroasted) beans, which are the seeds of the coffee fruit. Taking those seeds from the plant to the coffee pot involves roasting them for several minutes between 400 degrees and 500 degrees.
During the first few minutes of roasting, green beans begin to turn yellow and develop a vaguely grassy or grainy smell as their water content causes them to steam from within.
As the internal temperature of the beans rises, the coffee gives off a fragrant smoke and begins to make a crackling noise as the sugars caramelize and the essential oils are released.
The beans puff up to almost double their size and the roast becomes darker until a second, more volatile phase of crackling begins. At this point, the beans are done, or can be roasted further for a "dark roast" variety.
The beans
Green (unroasted) coffee beans are widely available, though you may not find them at the grocer.
Most coffee shops and roasting companies, including online outlets, will sell green coffee beans, often for several dollars less per pound than roasted.
Businesses such as Sweet Maria's, for example, offer many dozens of varieties of green coffee beans, including decaf, at prices 20 to 50 percent lower than the same coffees would cost roasted.
Green coffee beans resemble gray peanuts and lack the distinctive color and aroma of roasted coffee.
According to Maria Troy of Sweet Maria's, green coffee beans will keep for up to two years if properly stored. Keep green beans in paper or cloth bags (which allow them to breathe) in an area with no more than moderate heat and humidity. In short, if you're comfortable, your beans are comfortable, Troy said.
Once roasted (whether at home or by someone else), beans reach their peak in about 24 hours, then begin to lose flavor. For the best taste, coffee beans should be ground and brewed within two weeks of roasting.
Low-tech roasting
As with any hobby, it's easy to spend plenty of money on coffee roasting equipment, but it's hardly necessary.
Home roasting machines start around $75 and go as high as $900. These machines usually involve some style of hot air chamber that circulates and roasts the beans while removing the chaff (the papery outer skin of the bean).
But there also are plenty of low-tech home roasting methods that are less expensive. These may produce less consistent results, but are an affordable way to test whether home roast is for you.
Internet sites such as CoffeeGeek.com and HomeRoaster.com offer detailed instructions for home roasting, which can be done with cast-iron skillets, in the oven, with a stovetop corn popper or a hot air corn popper.
There also are plenty of sites for building a roaster, such as converting a gas barbecue grill into a drum roaster.
The hot air corn popper is probably the best bet for an affordable, easy, low-tech home option with good results. It is important to use a machine with good side and bottom airflow. A machine that blows air only from the bottom won't properly agitate the beans, which could catch fire.
Hot air corn poppers can roast enough coffee for about two pots of coffee in about five minutes.
High-tech options
Once you've decided that home roasting is the way to go, you'll probably want to invest in a real roaster, which takes much of the guesswork and mess out of roasting.
There are two main types of home roasting machines.
Fluid bed coffee roasters use a strong current of hot air to roast the beans and move them around for even results. These roasters have a small glass chamber that holds the beans over a heating element with a fan. Fluid bed roasters produce a bright tasting roast in anywhere between five and 15 minutes, plus an added cooling period of several minutes.
The second type of machine is drum roasters, which use a mechanical rotating cylinder to move the coffee beans either next to a heating element or through a stream of hot air. These machines tend to be larger and more expensive, but can roast as much as a pound of coffee at a time. These also offer more sophisticated controls. These can roast a batch in about 10 to 20 minutes plus cooling.
The downsides
There are some drawbacks to home roasting. The process can be smoky and should be done only in a well-ventilated kitchen or outdoors when weather permits. A strong stove hood vent will help.
The other inconvenience is that when beans roast, they release chaff, which tends to blow around, especially in low-tech roasting methods such as hot air corn poppers. Be careful to clean the chaff away from heating elements to prevent fire.
Hot air corn poppers also have a tendency to spit coffee beans out. Be careful; these are very hot.
Mocha Shortbread Wedges
This easy, espresso-spiked shortbread comes together quickly and goes well with coffee. Be sure to cut the shortbread while still warm, and be careful not to overbake.
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for sprinkling
Start to finish: 35 minutes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch round cake or springform pan with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Stir in the espresso powder. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter on medium until pale and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and beat well. Add the flour mixture, then beat on low speed until well combined.
Pat the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed at the edges and dark all over the top. Remove from oven and let sit five minutes.
Cut into eight wedges. Let cool completely on a rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week.
Makes eight wedges.
— From Martha Stewart's "Cookies," Clarkson Potter, 2008, $24.95
Baklava with Rich Coffee Syrup
This recipe produces a crunchy, somewhat dry baklava, a refreshing change from the more traditional gooey version. If you want a stickier baklava, double the syrup ingredients.
11/4 cups pistachio nut meats, finely chopped
11/2 cups walnut meats, finely chopped
11/4 teaspoons cinnamon
101/2 ounces phyllo pastry, thawed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons freshly brewed espresso
Start to finish: 2 hours (45 minutes active)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the pistachios, walnuts and cinnamon. Set aside.
Lay a sheet of phyllo on the counter. Use a pastry brush to brush it with butter. Set the sheet of phyllo, butter side down, in the prepared baking pan. Let the excess phyllo hang over the sides of the pan.
Repeat with another five layers of phyllo. Brush the top of the final layer with butter.
Sprinkle the nut mixture over the phyllo, then fold the excess pastry over the top.
Use a knife to carefully cut 8-inch squares from another six sheets of phyllo. One at a time, butter the squares and layer them, buttered side down, over the nut mixture.
Use a knife to cut the baklava into small squares or diamonds. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.
Meanwhile, make the coffee syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the sugar and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil for four minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the espresso.
Remove the baklava from the oven and drizzle with all of the syrup. Let cool completely before serving.
Makes about 25 pieces.
— Adapted from Susannah Blake's "Coffee Indulgences," Ryland, Peters and Small, 2007
Coffee-Marinated Sirloin
Although it calls for potent ingredients, this marinade imparts subtle savory, almost creamy notes to the steak. If you want more heat, increase the pepper flakes. The acid in the coffee also helps tenderize the meat.
11/2 cups cold coffee
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2-inch chunk fresh ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Four 8-ounce bottom sirloin steaks (or other tender, broiler-friendly cut)
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
Start to finish: 11/2 hours (20 minutes active)
In a blender or food processor, combine the coffee, pepper flakes, peanut butter, honey and ginger. Puree until smooth, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Pour half of the marinade in a baking dish. Set the steaks in the baking dish, then pour the remaining marinade over them. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
When ready to cook, preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the steak, in batches if necessary, and sear until lightly browned, about three to four minutes per side.
Transfer the steaks to the prepared baking sheet. For medium-rare, broil for seven to eight minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the steak reads 135 degrees.
Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Makes four servings.
— J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press
Coconut Cream Mocha Espresso
For a grander take on this drink, substitute a mug of coffee for the espresso and top it with whipped cream spiked with coconut milk and garnished with chocolate shavings.
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon coconut milk
1 ounce Irish cream liqueur
1 ounce chocolate liqueur
3 1/2 to 4 ounces freshly brewed espresso (about a double shot)
Cocoa powder (optional)
Start to finish: 10 minutes
In a small glass, mix together the heavy cream and coconut milk. Set aside.
In a small, heat-safe serving glass, combine the Irish cream and chocolate liqueur. Microwave for one minute, or until hot. Add the espresso and stir gently.
Float the cream mixture on the top of the drink. To do this, hold a spoon upside down directly over the drink. Slowly pour the cream mixture over the back of the spoon.
If desired, dust with cocoa powder.
Makes one serving.
— J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press
