De'Longhi La Specialista Opera Cold Brew Manual Espresso Machine EC9555.M, 2 L, 1550W, 19 bar, Black A symphony of coffee, based on science. Like an orchestra conductor, who causes all the musicians to sing as one, La Specialista Opera equipped with cold extraction technology offers the perfect balance between the science of coffee and the art of milk texturization. Offering excellent results, regardless of the type of beans, but also the ideal texture of the milk foam, La Specialista Opera helps you become a specialist in both the coffee preparation process and the milk foaming process. The latest generation technology for coffee preparation is incorporated into an elegant design, inspired by professional espresso machines and perfectly illustrates the mastery of a barista. The way the beans are ground, the dynamic pre-infusion, the precise thermal stability for preparation and the 3 temperature settings for the infusion process, capture and release the full aroma of your favorite coffee beans, so that the result in the cup is perfect, every time. La Specialista Opera has 5 preset recipes and a button for hot water. Hot drinks: Espresso, Coffee, Americano, hot water Cold drinks: Espresso Cool, Cold Brew Cold Extraction Technology Cold Extraction technology allows you to prepare a refreshing Cold Brew drink in less than 5 minutes and experience the exclusive Espresso Cool from De'Longhi, excellent for preparing cocktails.A new and unique De'Longhi recipe, with a fine crema and sweet notes.For the Espresso Cool recipe we recommend setting the grinder to one of the positions 3, 4, 5 or 6 and adding an ice cube to the glass.The amount of drink for a single dose is approx. 40ml and approx. 80ml for a double dose.For preparation, water at ambient temperature, approx. 20°C and a pressure of 9 bar, with pre-infusion is used. Preparing the Cold Brew recipe is now possible in less than 5 minutes, right at your home. The exclusive cold extraction technology transforms your favorite beans, grinding and pressing them automatically, and then infusing the coffee powder with room temperature water at very low pressure and extracting all the aroma nuances of your favorite coffee in a perfect cup of Cold Brew. For the Cold Brew recipe, we recommend setting the grinder to one of the positions 4, 5 or 6 and adding 3 ice cubes to the glass. The amount of drink for a single dose is approx. 110ml and approx. 180ml for a double dose. For preparation, water at ambient temperature, approx. 20°C and minimum pressure are used, without pre-infusion. Cold Brew is an excellent base for cocktails and creative refreshing recipes. Grinding TechnologyPrecise grinding is essential for preparing espresso-based drinks to ensure the best result every time. Freshly ground beans release a rich aroma and the highest amount of CO2, allowing you to prepare an espresso with a denser crema. It is important to make sure that the grinder is set to the right size for the grind: particles that are too fine will result in a slow, over-extracted shot with a bitter and burnt taste, while particles that are too coarse will result in an under-extracted, weak, watery and sour-tasting shot. Stainless steel grinder with 15 settingsThe grind levels of the La Specialista Opera espresso machine range from 1 (very fine) to 15 (coarse) and have been defined to produce the optimal size of powder, so that you can enjoy the best aroma, depending on the type of coffee beans you have chosen. In fact, each type of coffee bean behaves differently when ground due to different densities. The Specialista Maestro is equipped with 4 filters (2 filters for different amounts of coffee powder and 2 filters dedicated to the Espresso Cool recipe). The 1-cup filter allows up to 12g of coffee powder and is suitable for a simple espresso or a long coffee. The 2-cup filter allows up to 20g of coffee powder and is suitable for two cups of coffee, a double and strong-flavored coffee for a larger cup or for using coffee beans with a light degree of roasting. Set the right dose of coffee by turning the dosage selector in stages, starting from the minimum amount until you have reached the mark indicated inside the filter. If you are passionate about coffee, these are the preferred option, as they allow greater control of the extraction, and the result is a full-bodied drink that encompasses all the aromas of the coffee beans. Smart Tamping Station Correctly pressing the coffee dose is essential for optimal coffee extraction. The “Smart Tamping” system ensures that this process is carried out evenly and easily; you just have to press the lever and the espresso machine will apply the correct pressure to the coffee powder. The ideal pressure is 15-20 kg, depending on the filter used. Active Temperature Control Perfect coffee extraction requires a stable infusion temperature. “Active Temperature Control” technology maintains the water temperature throughout the entire coffee brewing process, to guarantee optimal extraction and an ideal result. Each type of coffee needs a dedicated temperature to extract the best aromas. The 3 temperature profiles offered by La Specialista Opera allow you to choose the ideal temperature of the water used in the infusion process, depending on the coffee beans chosen. The selected temperature remains stable during the brewing process for optimal coffee extraction. Different coffee bean varieties and roast colours require their own specific temperature setting for the best extraction. For example, a lower temperature is often preferred for Robusta coffee beans and less for Arabica coffee beans. The same applies to beans with a more intense roast colour or freshly roasted beans compared to those released over time. The 3 temperature settings correspond to a temperature range between 92° and 96°C. These are the temperatures of the water inside the thermoblock and are different from the temperature of the beverage or the temperature measured when the beverage flows from the portafilter. Dynamic Pre-infusion: The pre-infusion is dynamic because the duration of this process is adapted to the density of the coffee dose, to ensure that the entire surface is moist and uniform. This contributes to achieving a perfect extraction, every time. Manual milk frothing with the My LatteArt system For Latte Art, microfoam texture and temperature are two elements that, when combined, play an essential role in achieving the desired result. For a complete barista experience, you can manually froth the milk using the My LatteArt steam dispenser. With this system, it is very easy to obtain a velvety and dense foam for milk-based drinks or a fine and consistent foam suitable for latte art. For milk preparation, temperature is a crucial element, both at the beginning and at the end of the process. The first thing you need to do to ensure a correct texturing time is to use fresh, cold milk from the refrigerator. The final temperature is also very important: when milk exceeds 65-70 °C, the fats it contains begin to separate and this leads to a loss of texture, but also to the sourness of the coffee aroma. Height of cups and glasses The Specialista Opera allows the preparation of your favorite drinks in glasses and cups up to 12 cm high. It also has a foldable support for small cups and glasses, suitable for espresso, up to 8 cm high. This allows the coffee to be delivered closer to the cup and the crema of coffee-based drinks to be consistent. Accessories included in the package Filter holder with 4 filters (2 pressurized and 2 non-pressurized) Milk frother with a capacity of 350 ml Cleaning brush Anti-limescale balls Water hardness test strip Cleaning needle for the steam nozzle Descaling accessory Tips for cleaning and maintaining the espresso machine To extend the life of the espresso machine and obtain a perfect taste every time, we recommend using De'Longhi accessories for cleaning and care. Descaling, performed whenever requested by the espresso machine, is essential. EcoDecalk descaling agent is powerful, fast, environmentally friendly and contains only natural ingredients. For the descaling process, add 100 ml of EcoDecalk solution to the water tank, fill with cold, fresh water and follow the instructions in the user manual. The anti-scale balls are compatible with any espresso machine equipped with a water tank and are designed to prevent and hinder limescale deposits over time. The anti-scale balls extend the life of the espresso machines and at the same time ensure a quality result in the cup. We recommend replacing the balls every 3 months. Click here for the user manual.