Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk

Cà phê sữa đá is the iced version of Vietnam's favourite coffee and the one most visitors fall for. The phin brews the same strong coffee straight onto condensed milk, and then it all goes over a glass full of ice.

The ice dilutes the coffee as it melts, so the strong, sweet base is exactly what you want here.

Vietnamese phin recipes

Cà phê sữa nóng

Hot phin coffee over condensed milk. The everyday classic.

20 g · 1:5 · 4:00 to 6:00

Cà phê sữa đá

The same strong brew, stirred with condensed milk and poured over ice.

20 g · 1:5 · 4:00 to 6:00

Nguyen Coffee Supply's phin

A smaller dose and a slightly cooler water for a gentler phin.

14 g · 1:8.6 · 4:30 to 5:30

Recipe

The size of your pot sets the amounts, so fill the basket and base to their own lines.

Coffee: 20 g
Water: 100 g
Ratio: 1:5
Water temperature: 96°C
Grind: Medium fine, a little coarser than for espresso
Time: 4:00 to 6:00

What you need

Phin filter with its press plate and lid
Kettle
Burr grinder
Digital scale
Heatproof glass or cup

Method

1
Spoon 30 g of sweetened condensed milk into a small glass, and fill a tall glass with ice.
2
Put the phin on the small glass, add 20 g of ground coffee and shake it level. Lay the press plate on top.
3
Pour 20 g of water just off the boil over the coffee and let it bloom for about 30 seconds.
4
Fill the phin to the top with hot water, put the lid on and let it drip for 4 to 6 minutes.
5
Stir the coffee and condensed milk together until smooth.
6
Pour it over the ice, stir again and drink it cold.