Ingredients
Coffee
- 60 gMarcala coffee beans
- 800 mlwater, just off the boil
To serve
- sugar, if wanted
- hot milk, optional
- small cups
Equipment
- a burr grinder
- a pour-over cone or a cafetiere
- a scale, if you have one
Directions
- Grind only what you are about to brew. Use a burr grinder rather than a blade one.
- Use a medium grind for a pour-over cone. Use about sixty grams of coffee to a litre of water.
- Heat the water and let it stand for thirty seconds. It should be just off the boil.
- Rinse the paper filter through with hot water. Add the ground coffee and level it. Pour enough water to wet all the grounds.
- Wait thirty seconds for the bloom. The whole brew should take three minutes. Use a coarse grind for this method. Add the grounds and pour the water over.
- Stir it once and put the lid on. Do not press the plunger down yet. Let it steep for four minutes. Pour it out at once into cups.
- Let it cool a little before judging it. Very hot coffee hides most of its flavour. Add sugar or milk afterwards if you want them. Serving it is done however you prefer.
Technique
- Marcala coffee became Honduras’s first denomination of origin in two thousand and five, protecting the name for coffee grown in that defined area.
- Honduras is now the largest coffee exporter in Central America, with much of the crop grown by smallholders and cooperatives.
Substitutions
- Any washed high-altitude Central American arabica brews the same way.
- A cafetiere stands in for a pour-over cone with a coarser grind.
Variations
- Some producers now offer naturally processed lots with a fruitier flavour.
- Honduras has several other coffee-growing regions with their own characters.
- Cafe con leche made with the same coffee is drunk at breakfast.
History
Coffee from Marcala became Honduras’s first denomination of origin in 2005; the country is now Central America’s largest coffee exporter.
Frequently asked questions
What is Café de Marcala?
Café de Marcala is a drink from Honduras: high-grown washed coffee from the mountains of La Paz. Coffee from Marcala became Honduras’s first denomination of origin in 2005; the country is now Central America’s largest coffee exporter.
How long does Café de Marcala take to make?
Café de Marcala takes 10 minutes of preparation and 5 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Café de Marcala?
Yes, within limits. Any washed high-altitude Central American arabica brews the same way. A cafetiere stands in for a pour-over cone with a coarser grind.
What is the most important thing to get right in Café de Marcala?
Grind only what you are about to brew. Use a burr grinder rather than a blade one.
