Vietnamese Iced Coffee is a traditional strong brewed coffee served over ice cubes sweetened with thick condensed milk. A true delight for cold coffee lovers.
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About Vietnamese Coffee
Vietnamese Iced Coffee, also called cà phê đá, is a traditional cold coffee made with filter coffee decoction, condensed milk, water, and ice cubes.
Vietnam is the World’s second-largest coffee-producing country. The French Missionaries introduced coffee to Vietnam ever since it became one of the nation’s most cultivated and loved drinks. The country produces dark and robust coffee.
Vietnamese Coffee Does Not Have
- any foam or froth
- any milk or cream
- any syrup or sugar
Ingredients You’ll Need
Only 4 ingredients are required to make Vietnamese iced coffee at home:
- Ground Coffee – You need a strong ground coffee. The one used for making espresso, South Indian filter coffee, or the French Roast is perfect.
- Condensed Milk – Use the thick sweet tinned, condensed milk. Adjust the quantity of condensed milk as per your sweetness preference.
- Water, Ice Cubes
- Vietnamese Coffee Press or Filter
Vietnamese Coffee Filter
A Vietnamese metal drip filter called phin cà phê is used for dripping the coffee decoction into a glass or cup. This coffee decoction forms the base of iced coffee.
First, the base of the coffee filter is filled with ground coffee. Then, the filter is placed on top of a glass.
Hot water is added to this steel filter where it releases drops of coffee decoction drip by drip slowly into the cup or glass.
This finished cup of hot coffee is then poured into a glass full of ice cubes. And then, condensed milk is added to sweeten the coffee.
Here is an excellent recipe video tutorial for Vietnamese Iced Coffee by Todd & Dianne that you can watch.
How to brew coffee without a Vietnamese coffee filter?
- You can brew coffee in a regular stovetop brewer, a traditional South Indian coffee filter, or even a French Press. But make sure to use the freshly brewed coffee for making Vietnamese iced coffee.
- The South Indian coffee filter usually gives a good result as it also works on the exact mechanism as the Vietnamese coffee press.
How to make this coffee with a French press?
- Add 2 tablespoons of medium ground dark roast coffee to your French Press. Add ⅔ cup boiling water to the top. Carefully reinsert the plunger into the pot, stopping just above the water and ground coffee, and let stand for 3 – 4 minutes.
- Once done, press the plunger, strain the coffee and pour it into a glass full of ice cubes. Add condensed milk and stir to mix. Your Vietnamese Coffee is ready.
What is so special about Vietnamese coffee?
Vietnamese Coffee is the new rage among coffee lovers worldwide. It will impress you with its rich, flavourful, and sweet taste. It is very close to espresso in flavour and aroma.
- They use robusta beans that are much more caffeinated than typical coffee beans and taste smooth compared to regular espresso for the way it is brewed slowly, drip by drip.
- The strong taste, a thicker brew, and the addition of condensed milk make Vietnamese coffee special.
During my travel to Singapore and Malaysia, I tried different versions of iced coffee, such as Kopi C or Kopi-C Kosong. And fell in absolute love with Asian-style iced coffee.
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- Cafe Style Cold Coffee
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Vietnamese Iced Coffee Recipe
- Coffee Filter
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon ground coffee (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon sweet condensed milk
- 1 cup boiling hot water
- ice cubes to serve
Instructions
Bew Coffee:
- Add ground coffee to the base of the coffee filter. Level it using a spoon of press. Coffee should be packed tightly so that water does not seep through easily.
- Place the slotted screen on top of the ground coffee. Press gently to pack coffee tightly.
- Pour hot water over the screen. Place the filter over a cup of glass to collect the coffee decoction. The coffee should seep drip by drip and not too fast.
Make Vietnamese Iced Coffee:
- Pour dripped coffee decoction in a glass.
- Add condensed milk. Stir to combine coffee and condensed milk nicely.
- Add crushed ice cubes and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- Coffee: Dark Roast or French Roast works best for making Vietnamese iced coffee. The one used for making espresso, South Indian filter coffee, or the one used in French Press is perfect for this iced coffee. Increase or decrease the amount of coffee or brew time as per your taste preference (how strong or light you like coffee). For me, 1 – 2 tablespoon of coffee yields a good strong brew.
- Condensed Milk: I use tinned Nestle Condensed Milk for this iced coffee. Adjust the amount of condensed milk as per your sweet preference. Usually, ratio os 2:1 is perfect for me. 2 tablespoons of coffee to 1 tablespoon of condensed milk.
- Filter: If you do not have a traditional Vietnamese Coffee Filter, use French Press or South Indian Coffee Filter. The coffee decoction should seep drip by drip and not too fast. The slowly dripped coffee is strong in taste. And that what makes Vietnamese Coffee special.
Nutrition
Shruthi says
Looks sooo good!!!!
simon andrew says
It looks very refreshing drink
Hina Gujral says
It is delightful change from regular iced coffee.