Cà phê sữa đá — Vietnamese iced coffee — is one of the most distinctive coffee drinks in the world. Intense, dark-roasted coffee brewed very slowly through a phin filter, dripped over sweetened condensed milk and ice. The result is rich, sweet, bold, and completely addictive.
The Recipe (Serves 1)
Coffee
20–25g
Medium-fine grind
Water
100ml
Just off boil
Condensed Milk
2–3 tbsp
Sweetened
Ice
Plenty
Fill the glass
Equipment
You need a phin filter — a small Vietnamese drip filter made of metal, available online for €5–€10. It consists of a filter chamber, a press plate, and a lid. There's no substitute that exactly replicates the result, though a strong AeroPress brew works in a pinch.
Method
- Spoon condensed milk into the bottom of your glass — 2 to 3 tablespoons depending on how sweet you want it. Don't stir yet.
- Set up the phin on top of the glass. Add 20–25g of medium-fine ground coffee (darker roast works better here — the intensity holds up against the condensed milk).
- Add the press plate and press down gently.
- Add a small amount of water first (about 30ml) to bloom the grounds for 30 seconds.
- Fill with remaining water. Cover with the lid. The coffee will drip slowly — 8–12 minutes total for the full brew to drip through. This slowness is intentional.
- When finished dripping, add ice to the glass (or pour into a glass of ice). Stir vigorously to combine the condensed milk, coffee, and ice.
Which coffee? Traditional Vietnamese coffee uses robusta beans (often the Trung Nguyên brand), which are bolder and more bitter than arabica. If you use standard arabica, go darker roast and use a slightly higher dose. The condensed milk sweetness needs intensity to balance against.
Hot Version
Cà phê sữa nóng is the same recipe without ice — the coffee drips directly into the condensed milk in a warm cup. Stir and drink immediately. Less dramatic, equally delicious on a cold morning.