Cà Phê Sữa Đá Recipe

What can be better than a cup of cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese iced coffee) to keep yourself alert on a hot, sleepy afternoon? This drink is one of the numerous specialties from the Southeast Asian country that you will never get enough of.

In Vietnam, people from all walks of life enjoy this type of coffee everywhere, from cheap roadside stalls to fancy coffee houses. How about you? Do you like a cup of refreshing coolness that only takes a few minutes to whip up? Scroll down to find out the secret behind it!

What Is The Origin of Vietnamese Iced Coffee?

Compared to other popular drinks in Vietnam, coffee has a relatively short history. It came to the country along with the French in the 19th century, and nearly a century passed before the first local processing plant for instant coffee appeared.

If you time traveled back then and told everyone that Vietnam would become a coffee giant, you would be considered a laughing stock at best. But amazingly, the country is among the world’s top producers and consumers of this drink.

Given Vietnam’s tropical weather, iced coffee is an obvious choice. People usually prepare it from dark roast coffee (coffee arabica is the most popular variety here) and sweetened condensed milk. The result is something that Westerners usually find intense and strangely delicious.

Which Tools Are Needed to Prepare Cà Phê Sữa Đá?

Let’s gather the following tools to experience an iced coffee the Vietnamese way. If they aren’t on your cupboard already, just purchase them from local stores.

What Are Must-Have Ingredients for Cà Phê Sữa Đá?

Once your coffee tools are ready, let’s move on to assemble the ingredients. Pay attention because some of them may be different from what you think.

How to Make Cà Phê Sữa Đá Like A Local?

After learning about the basics of the tools and ingredients, you can now confidently prepare your very own ice coffee. You’re only a few more minutes away from unlocking the terrific taste of this drink.

Step 1: Prepare the Coffee Filter

Gather the Vietnamese coffee filter (phin), which consists of a plate, a chamber, a tamper (filter press), and a lid.

To begin, set up the filter: place the plate over your coffee cup, then set the chamber on top of the plate.

Add 3 tablespoons of ground coffee to the chamber. Set this aside for a moment.

Position the lid on the plate as shown in the second picture. Pour a small amount of hot water over the lid to preheat it, preparing it for brewing.

After the lid is heated, place the pre-filled coffee chamber back on top of the lid.

Pour just enough hot water into the chamber to cover the coffee grounds. Allow the coffee to steep for 3 to 5 minutes, letting the flavors fully develop.

After the coffee has steeped, add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor.

Step 2: Brew the Coffee

Remove the entire phin setup and add 2 tablespoons (about 25ml) of condensed milk to your cup.

Put the phin back together over your cup (plate first, followed by the chamber). Pour 50ml (1.69 fluid ounces) of hot water, cover it with the lid, and wait for the coffee to drip through.

When the last drop is through, remove the filter. The glass now has two distinct layers of dark coffee and white milk. Stir them until they get well mixed with each other. Enjoy your coffee with some ice cubes.

Easy Tips for Perfect Vietnamese Iced Coffee

If you are looking for the best Vietnamese coffee experience, keep the following things in mind:

What Do You Think About Vietnamese Iced Coffee?

With a cup of Vietnamese iced tea by your side, you will no longer get heavy-eyed on a hot, languorous day. It can easily become your, well, new cup of tea. Have a taste, and you will never look at ordinary espresso or cappuccino the same way again.

I have a small favor to ask: Please share this post with your friends so that more and more people know about this terrific drink. Also, feel free to comment about your experience as well as any trick that you come up with while making this coffee.