Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Vietnamese Egg Coffee
越式雞蛋咖啡
Recipe overview
Freshly brewed strong coffee is topped with a cream made from pasteurised yolks and condensed milk; whisking over warm water makes it pale and thick without relying on raw unpasteurised egg.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 48 g Vietnamese dark-roast ground coffee
- 300 ml, about 96°C Hot water for brewing
- 4, about 80 g Pasteurised egg yolks
- 500 ml, about 65°C Warm water for water bath
Egg mixture
- 100 g Sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
02
Tools
- Vietnamese phin or coffee dripper
- Heatproof measuring jug
- Heatproof mixing bowl
- Small saucepan
- Electric hand mixer
- Probe thermometer
- 4 heatproof coffee cups
03
Steps
Step 1
Check the pasteurised yolks
Read the pack to confirm the yolks are pasteurised and within their use-by date, then measure four or about 80 g; do not substitute ordinary raw yolks.
Step 2
Warm the coffee cups
Pour a little hot water into each heatproof cup, stand for 2 minutes, then empty and dry them so the divided coffee stays hot.
Step 3
Load the coffee
Divide 48 g dark-roast ground coffee among the phin filters, shake gently to level it and rest each press lightly without compacting the grounds.
Step 4
Bloom the grounds
Pour in about 40 ml of the 96°C water first, wet every ground and bloom for 30 seconds before starting the full drip.
Step 5
Brew strong coffee
Slowly add the remaining 260 ml hot water, cover and let the coffee finish dripping in 5 to 6 minutes; it should be dark and mostly free of grounds.
Step 6
Set up a warm water bath
Fill a small saucepan 3 cm deep with water at about 65°C and set the heatproof bowl above it; the bowl must not touch the water and the bath must not boil.
Step 7
Combine yolks and milk
Put the pasteurised yolks, 100 g condensed milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla into the heatproof bowl, then beat on low for 30 seconds until completely blended.
Step 8
Whisk over warm water
Set the bowl over the warm bath and beat at medium-high speed for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the bowl until the cream is pale, expanded and falls in thick ribbons.
Step 9
Check the egg cream
Lift the beaters: a ribbon should remain visible for about 3 seconds; keep the probe reading below 65°C because curdled specks mean the bath is too hot.
Step 10
Divide the coffee
Pour the freshly brewed strong coffee equally into the four warmed cups, about 75 ml each, leaving at least 2 cm for the thick egg cream.
Step 11
Float the egg cream
Spoon one quarter of the cream gently over each coffee so the pale topping stays as a clear layer above the dark drink rather than being stirred in.
Step 12
Serve immediately
Serve as soon as the topping is added; taste the cream first and then stir if desired, and do not hold leftover egg cream at room temperature for later use.
Common mistakes
- Using ordinary unpasteurised raw yolks leaves an avoidable foodborne-bacteria risk.
- Boiling the water bath or letting the bowl touch the water curdles the yolks instead of making a smooth cream.
- Compacting the coffee grounds makes the drip too slow and extracts excessive bitterness.
- Topping the cups before the cream reaches ribbon stage makes a thin foam that quickly sinks.
Tips
Keep every utensil touching yolk clean and dry, and refrigerate opened pasteurised yolk as directed on its pack.
Dark-roast coffee balances the condensed milk; taste the finished drink before considering any extra sugar.
A coffee dripper can replace the phin if it produces the same amount of strong coffee, but avoid sweetened instant coffee mix.
