Bold coffee is my weakness (among other things). There was a period of time when I would drink Vietnamese coffee DAILY, and I mean DAILY. This was during the year when I was single, living the life and residing alone in my 400 sq. ft. apartment in Brooklyn. C’mon, a bold cup of coffee plus sweetened condensed milk?? I’d give you half of my life savings for that! No, not really. But in all honesty, I love a cup of dark java and there is nothing better than cà phê sữa nóng or cà phê sua dá (thank you, Google). It was the ideal pick-me-up each morning, until I checked the back of my teeth with a personally owned dental mirror one day, and realized, white is no longer in my dental vocabulary. Ultimately, I called it quits, but still occasionally indulge 😏.
What Makes Vietnamese Coffee So Special?
Vietnamese coffee’s distinguished flavor profile is achieved through the use of 3 items:
- Dark roast Robusta beans: The use of these beans creates a much bolder coffee flavor, as opposed to Arabica beans, which has a weaker intensity level.
- Sweetened condensed milk: The sweetness and creaminess in Vietnamese coffee cannot be achieved without this ingredient. Just one tablespoon of this thick version of sweetened milk balances out the robust flavors from the coffee grounds. It beats regular whole milk with table sugar, for sure!
- Phin filter: The phin filter is how traditional Vietnamese coffee is brewed. Typically, there is more coffee grounds packed into a phin filter, relative to the amount of hot water used for brewing the coffee,. This results in a stronger and highly caffeinated cup of java.
Check out my YouTube video and written instructions below on how I like my Vietnamese coffee. If you’ve tried and enjoy my recipe, please leave me a comment and tag me @rackoflam!
Hot Vietnamese Coffee Recipe (Cà Phê Sữa Nóng)
Equipment
- Single-serve Vietnamese phin coffee filter
Ingredients
- 1 heaping tbsp coarse ground coffee (optimally Cafe Du Monde or Trung Nguyen)
- 1 ½ tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup hot water
Instructions
- Place sweetened condensed milk into a mug.
- Rest the phin filter on the mug and unscrew the filter screen.
- Scoop the ground coffee into the filter, then screw the filter screen back on, compacting and leveling the coffee.
- Fill the filter with 1/4 cup hot water and wait until it fully drips into the mug. Repeat with the remaining hot water.
- Remove the filter.
- Mix the coffee with the condensed milk thoroughly and enjoy!
Video
Notes
PRODUCTS USED IN VIDEO:
- Cafe Du Monde Coffee Chicory – https://amzn.to/3be9eFk
- Vietnamese Coffee Phin Filter – https://amzn.to/3bd9PqD
- Longevity Sweetened Condensed Milk – https://amzn.to/39bkWhk
- Bodum Bistro Electric Water Kettle – https://amzn.to/394vazU
- Ikea Measuring Spoons – https://amzn.to/3rTltwV
Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Cà Phê Sua Dá) Recipe
Equipment
- Single-serve Vietnamese phin coffee filter
Ingredients
- 1 heaping tbsp coarse ground coffee (optimally Cafe Du Monde or Trung Nguyen)
- 1 ½ tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 glass of ice
Instructions
- Place sweetened condensed milk into a mug.
- Rest the phin filter on the mug and unscrew the filter screen.
- Scoop the ground coffee into the filter, then screw the filter screen back on, compacting and leveling the coffee.
- Fill the filter with hot water and wait until it fully drips into the mug.
- Remove the filter.
- Mix the coffee with the condensed milk thoroughly.
- Pour the coffee into the glass of ice and enjoy!
