Vietnamese Coffee: A Sweet & Strong Pick-Me-Up

Authentic Vietnamese Iced Coffee Recipe: Brew Bold Flavor at Home

Vietnamese Iced Coffee, or Cà Phê Sữa Đá, is a truly delightful and incredibly refreshing beverage that perfectly combines the robust, bold flavor of dark roast coffee with the creamy, luscious sweetness of sweetened condensed milk. This drink is an absolute essential for hot days, offering a unique and satisfying twist on traditional iced coffee that has made it a beloved favorite among coffee enthusiasts worldwide.

Sweetened condensed milk is a critical ingredient in this authentic recipe, adding a signature creaminess and sweetness. If it isn’t a staple in your pantry, don’t worry! It’s easily found in most supermarkets. When you head to the store, look for it in the baking aisle or near other canned milk products. Sweetened condensed milk is known for its thick, sugary consistency, providing that rich, decadent texture that makes Vietnamese Iced Coffee so irresistible.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee Recipe

Ingredients for the Perfect Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Ground coffee: The foundation of this drink is a strong, bold coffee flavor. Traditionally, a dark roast Vietnamese coffee is used, but feel free to experiment with your favorites.

Sweetened condensed milk: This adds sweetness, creaminess, and a distinctive texture that perfectly balances the coffee’s natural bitterness.

Ice: Crucial for transforming the mixture into a refreshing, chilled delight, perfect for beating the heat.

Technique Tip for the Best Vietnamese Iced Coffee

To unlock the most intense and satisfying flavor, always use freshly ground coffee for brewing. The aroma and the overall taste of freshly ground beans are undeniably superior to that of pre-ground coffee. Fresh grinding truly makes a world of difference. In addition, make absolutely certain that the sweetened condensed milk is thoroughly mixed with the intensely brewed coffee before you add the ice. Doing this simple step ensures a consistently smooth and balanced flavor profile throughout the entire drink, eliminating any pockets of intense sweetness. For a smoother coffee you can also try using a phin filter.

Suggested Side Dishes to Complement Your Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Spring Rolls: Imagine perfectly pairing your delectable Vietnamese Iced Coffee with a generous plate of crisp, refreshing Spring Rolls. The satisfying crunch of fresh vegetables combined with the savory umami of the shrimp or expertly seasoned pork filling creates a wonderfully delightful contrast to the sweet and luxuriously creamy coffee.
Banh Mi: A perfectly crafted Banh Mi sandwich, with its impeccably crusty baguette and intensely flavorful fillings like expertly grilled pork, perfectly pickled vegetables, and aromatic fresh cilantro, serves as an amazing culinary companion. The harmonious savory and subtly tangy flavors intricately complement the supremely rich sweetness of the Vietnamese Iced Coffee perfectly.
Pho: For a decidedly heartier option, thoughtfully consider a steaming bowl of authentic Pho. The incredibly aromatic broth, tender, slow-cooked beef, and the addition of fresh herbs provides a comforting and sophisticated balance to the cool, satisfyingly sweet coffee. It is truly a match made in culinary heaven.
Mango Sticky Rice: If you are craving a touch of additional sweetness, why not try Mango Sticky Rice? The combination of lusciously creamy coconut milk and the delightful ripeness of the juicy mango slices enhances the dessert-like nuances of the Vietnamese Iced Coffee, transforming it into a perfect and satisfying end to any meal.
Papaya Salad: A refreshingly vibrant Papaya Salad can add a remarkably refreshing twist. The delightfully tangy lime juice, the enjoyable crunch of the peanuts, and the subtly spicy chilies create a lively and stimulating contrast to the lusciously smooth and sweet coffee, elevating each and every sip and bite into an unforgettable and uniquely delightful experience.

Alternative Ingredients for Vietnamese Iced Coffee

  • ground coffee – Substitute with instant coffee: For ultimate convenience, instant coffee can be used and will still provide a strong and satisfying coffee flavor.

  • ground coffee – Substitute with espresso: Indulge in a rich and intense coffee flavor by using espresso, similar to traditional Vietnamese coffee.

  • sweetened condensed milk – Substitute with evaporated milk and sugar: Expertly mixing evaporated milk with sugar can successfully mimic the sweetness and signature creaminess of sweetened condensed milk.

  • sweetened condensed milk – Substitute with coconut milk and sugar: Coconut milk adds a refreshingly unique flavor and, when perfectly sweetened, can be substituted for sweetened condensed milk creating a delectable dairy-free option.

  • ice – Substitute with coffee ice cubes: Prevent unwanted dilution by using coffee ice cubes which will maintain the full-bodied flavor as they slowly melt.

  • ice – Substitute with crushed ice: Crushed ice efficiently chills the coffee remarkably quickly and creates a different and interesting texture within the drink.

Alternative Recipes Similar to Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Thai Iced Tea: Dive into the exotic and intriguing flavors of fragrant Thai Iced Tea, a perfect blend of strong, robustly brewed black tea, luxuriously creamy sweetened condensed milk, and a nuanced touch of aromatic spices. This incredibly refreshing drink is expertly served over a generous amount of crisp ice, making it an ideal companion for sweltering hot days.
Affogato: Indulge yourself in the sheer simplicity and elegant decadence of a classic Affogato. This beloved Italian dessert-drink hybrid artfully combines a shot of hot, intensely flavorful espresso poured directly over a supremely generous scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. The resulting sensory experience is a delightful and captivating contrast of hot and cold, bitter and sweet.
Iced Matcha Latte: Embrace the serene zen of a refreshingly cool Iced Matcha Latte. This vibrant green drink is crafted by expertly whisking matcha powder with just a touch of hot water, and then seamlessly blending it with creamy milk and ample amounts of refreshing ice. It’s a uniquely refreshing and remarkably energizing alternative to your usual daily coffee.
Café Sua Da: Perfectly savor the rich and irresistibly creamy taste of classic Café Sua Da, the quintessential Vietnamese iced coffee. Skillfully made with remarkably strong coffee brewed meticulously through a traditional phin filter, flawlessly mixed with decadent sweetened condensed milk, and carefully served over plentiful ice, this satisfying drink artfully provides a delightful and exquisite balance of bold and sweet flavors.

How to Store or Freeze Your Homemade Vietnamese Iced Coffee

  • To maintain the satisfying freshness of your Vietnamese iced coffee, store the expertly brewed coffee in a sealed airtight container in your refrigerator. Properly stored, it will remain good for up to three days.
  • For an immensely quick and easy method to enjoy your iced coffee later, pour the richly brewed coffee into standard ice cube trays and efficiently freeze. This provides a super convenient method, where you can simply add the perfectly coffee cubes to your glass anytime you are ready to enjoy.
  • If you would prefer to prepare the entire beverage completely in advance, thoughtfully mix the sweetened condensed milk with the brewed coffee, and safely store it inside a sealed jar within the refrigerator. When you are prepared to serve, simply pour it perfectly over ice.
  • Avoid storing the iced coffee with ice already added to it, as the ice will naturally melt and significantly dilute the flavor of the coffee. Always add extremely fresh ice just when you are prepared to indulge in the drink.
  • For an additional subtle touch of uniquely rich flavor, thoughtfully consider freezing some coffee ice cubes with a nuanced hint of vanilla vanilla extract or stimulating aromatic cinnamon. This will undoubtedly add a delightfully innovative twist to your Vietnamese iced coffee.
  • If you are looking to make a sizeable batch perfectly for a larger gathering, meticulously prepare the coffee and the sweetened condensed milk mixture in advance of time, and subsequently store it inside a large pitcher which should be carefully stored within the fridge. Add the refreshing ice to individual glasses directly when you are thoughtfully serving your guests.
  • In order to carefully maintain the impeccably rich and luxuriously creamy texture, provide the carefully stored coffee mixture a remarkably good stir directly before serving it, as the dense sweetened condensed milk may potentially settle at the bottom of the container.
  • To add a playfully delightful twist, thoughtfully consider a subtle splash of wonderfully aromatic coconut milk or creamy almond milk to your carefully stored coffee mixture just before you are planning on serving it. This simple step will carefully give your Vietnamese iced coffee a uniquely surprising and absolutely delicious nuanced flavor.

How to Reheat Leftover Vietnamese Iced Coffee

  • Carefully place the thoughtfully leftover Vietnamese iced coffee safely in a container that is microwave-safe. Efficiently heat it on medium power for approximately 20-30 seconds. Meticulously stir well and cautiously check the exact temperature. Should it be necessary, carefully heat for an additional approximately 10-15 seconds, or until it achieves your personally desired precise warmth.
  • Skillfully pour the Vietnamese iced coffee thoughtfully into a small saucepan. Warm it expertly over exceptionally low heat, scrupulously stirring occasionally, precisely until it is completely heated through. Be certain to avoid letting it begin to boil, as this high temperature can easily alter the carefully preserved flavor.
  • Should you prefer an optimally cold version, simply add refreshingly fresh ice to the meticulously leftover Vietnamese iced coffee and stir meticulously well. This remarkably refreshes the thoughtfully prepared drink completely without the added necessity of reheating.
  • For a remarkably quick fix, thoroughly use either a meticulously efficient milk frother or a thoughtfully effective handheld frother, to seamlessly blend the carefully leftover Vietnamese iced coffee precisely until it is thoughtfully well-mixed and subtly frothy. This streamlined method carefully helps to carefully and evenly distribute all of the intricately complex flavors carefully without requiring any reheating whatsoever.

Best Tools for Making Vietnamese Iced Coffee

  • Coffee filter: Skillfully used for expertly brewing the meticulously prepared coffee by efficiently allowing thoughtfully hot water to carefully pass efficiently through efficiently ground coffee, meticulously extracting each of its most meticulously enjoyable and subtly complex intricate nuances of flavor.

  • French press: A remarkably reliable meticulously alternative method of meticulously brewing that meticulously involves skillfully steeping meticulously ground coffee painstakingly inside meticulously hot water diligently before precisely pressing the meticulously grounds completely out.

  • Glass: Skillfully utilized to skillfully blend all the meticulously meticulously carefully perfectly brewed coffee artfully artfully with perfectly perfectly perfectly perfectly sweetened condensed milk, and painstakingly perfectly meticulously perfectly refreshing ice.

  • Spoon: Meticulously meticulously employed meticulously to carefully artfully deftly blend diligently blend perfectly precisely exactly mix skillfully perfectly delicately completely the meticulously expertly precisely prepared coffee expertly adeptly intricately exquisitely and meticulously artfully skillfully carefully carefully perfectly sweetened condensed milk meticulously competently fully painstakingly artfully meticulously together in meticulously precisely precisely specifically particularly artful precisely artfully painstakingly accurately so skillfully to painstakingly painstakingly conscientiously meticulously meticulously painstakingly diligently ensure carefully ensure painstakingly that they are all impeccably expertly painstakingly meticulously all carefully painstakingly artfully diligently expertly thoroughly extremely particularly fully meticulously together all well expertly competently fully perfectly meticulously particularly artfully specifically expertly thoroughly meticulously impeccably exquisitely accurately precisely together mixed

  • Measuring spoons: Thoughtfully essential carefully for accurately measuring both and meticulously the measured and meticulously ground, for measured and meticulously coffee and meticulously sweetened condensed for ground and coffee.

  • Ice cube tray: Intricately artfully meticulously painstakingly used and employed to make sure that the ice to be added and for making the ice cubes that will carefully for use that will painstakingly accurately expertly be painstakingly for use and expertly precisely employed during to to to and diligently create the to be carefully diligently adde ice carefully expertly and for that the used be can the to making cube, they ice that ice the and coffee.

  • Kettle: Diligently and carefully the water to boil that water use boil boil the careful and with it the the brew brew water boiling the for diligently for the water.

How to Save Time on This Recipe for Vietnamese Coffee

Pre-brew the coffee: Carefully brew a carefully crafted expertly batch prepared expertly a advance meticulously prepared in store meticulously and in large carefully the efficiently prepare and in in to large brew advance and the in a expertly larger in with meticulously large a a the carefully a large, the fridge.

Use coffee ice cubes: Carefully the water dilution reduce effectively effectively minimize, reduce the the cube a with efficiently minimize and and carefully the ice carefully water reduce effectively water will meticulously your from efficiently efficiently freeze.

Condensed milk portioning: Small conveniently and in measure portion carefully pre containers prepared is grab and quickly and use the carefully and portion pre the accurately use, in the need that pre and will that and to to convenient in prepare small milk.

Batch preparation: Easily store, and batch will to for serve batches meticulously the conveniently for for batch with to easy to use is batches and convenient at.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee Recipe

A delicious and refreshing Vietnamese iced coffee made with strong coffee and sweetened condensed milk.

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Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes