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Cà phê cốt dừa (coconut coffee)
Cà phê cốt dừa: dark phin-dripped coffee poured over a snowy slush of coconut cream, condensed milk and ice
Hanoi takes its coffee seriously, and in the last fifteen years coconut coffee has become one of the city's signatures, sold from Old Quarter cafés, lakeside balconies around Hoàn Kiếm and tiny stools on the pavement. It is a hot-weather drink, at its best on a sticky afternoon between May and September, eaten half with a spoon. Strong Vietnamese robusta drips slowly through an aluminium phin, then is poured over a pale slush of thick coconut cream, sweetened condensed milk and crushed ice, so you get bitter, dark coffee against something rich and cold that tastes like coconut ice cream. The common mistake is blending the slush too long or with too much ice, which leaves it thin and watery, and pouring the coffee in boiling hot so the slush collapses. Blend just until it looks like soft snow, and let the coffee cool for a minute or two. It is ready when the slush holds a spoon upright and the coffee sits in a dark layer on top. Robusta is high in caffeine and this is a strong drink, so it is not for children and one glass is plenty. Chef's tip: chill the coconut cream overnight; cold, thick cream gives a fluffier slush.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the coffee
- 1 oz Vietnamese ground coffee (robusta or robusta blend)medium-coarse grind
- ¾ cup boiling water
For the coconut slush
- ¾ cup coconut creamchilled, the thick part from the top of the can
- 2 ½ tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 9 oz ice cubes
To garnish
- 1 tbsp toasted coconut flakes (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 1 oz Vietnamese ground coffee (robusta or robusta blend) into a phin filter set on a jug, press the inner disc on lightly and pour in about 20 ml of 1 ½ tbsp boiling water. Let it bloom for 30 seconds, until the grounds swell.
1 minStep 2: Fill the phin with the rest of the ½ cup boiling water, cover and let it drip for 4–5 minutes, until the dripping slows to single drops and you have a dark, thick coffee. Leave it to cool for 2 minutes.
6 minStep 3: Meanwhile, put ¾ cup coconut cream, 2 ½ tbsp sweetened condensed milk and 9 oz ice cubes in a blender and blend in short pulses for 20–30 seconds, until it looks like soft snow and holds a spoon upright.
2 minStep 4: Spoon the slush into two glasses and slowly pour the coffee over the top. Scatter with 1 tbsp toasted coconut flakes and serve at once with a spoon and straw.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cà phê cốt dừa (coconut coffee) take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sweetened condensed milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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