Vietnamese Iced Coffee Ca Phe Sua Da
Intensely strong dark roast Vietnamese coffee slowly dripped through a traditional phin filter directly over sweetened condensed milk, then poured over a glass packed with ice for a creamy bittersweet caffeinated treat. It is one of the most beloved and instantly recognizable drinks in Vietnamese culture.
Richly brewed Vietnamese drip coffee poured over sweetened condensed milk and ice for a creamy iced coffee.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
Coffee
Sweetener
Liquid
Serving
Equipment
Optional
Instructions
Set Up the Phin Filter
Place 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk into the bottom of each serving glass. Set the phin filter on top of the glass. Add 2 tablespoons of coarsely ground Vietnamese dark roast coffee into the filter chamber and gently press the metal press plate down onto the grounds with light even pressure. Do not press too firmly.
Bloom and Brew the Coffee
Pour just 1 tablespoon of hot water over the coffee grounds and wait 30 seconds for the coffee to bloom and release trapped gases. This pre-infusion step improves the extraction quality. Then pour the remaining hot water slowly to the top of the phin chamber. Place the lid on top and allow the coffee to drip through at its own pace.
Wait for the Drip
Allow the coffee to drip completely through the filter into the glass of condensed milk. This should take 4 to 8 minutes depending on grind size and how firmly the grounds were pressed. If it drips in under 3 minutes the grind is too coarse. If it takes longer than 10 minutes the grounds were pressed too tightly.
Stir, Pour Over Ice, and Serve
Once all the coffee has dripped through, remove the phin filter and stir the hot coffee and condensed milk vigorously until completely combined and uniformly brown. Fill a second tall glass with ice and pour the hot coffee mixture directly over the ice. Drink immediately for the full contrast of hot coffee and cold ice.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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