Learning how to make Vietnamese egg coffee

The most fitting way to end our time in Vietnam was to learn more about the infamous Vietnamese Egg Coffee - so that is what we did! We scrolled through Airbnb Experiences and found a coffee shop in the Old Quarter of Hanoi that was giving lessons so we signed up!

We learned that egg coffee was First created in Hanoi in 1946, by Nguyen Van Giang. In response to the pressures of a milk shortage caused by the French War (also known as the First Indochina War), Giang whisked in egg as a much-needed substitute for milk. Incredible, right?

The egg “whip” is created by with egg yolk & sugar and then some add condensed milk while others add vanilla extract or even a little rum! The first step is the most vital though as you need to turn the yolk and sugar into a cream type consistency by blending it on high for about 5-8 minutes until the mixture has “peaks”.  I will share a recipe at the bottom of this post if you would like to try it!

Once you are finished, you pour the mixture ontop of your freshly brewed coffee and can finish the drink off with a little cinnamon or coco on top. Then, enjoy!!!!

The drink itself is delicious and sweet and we are excited to perfect a recipe to share this small part of Vietnamese culture with our family and friends back home.

Egg coffee Recipe

There are many ways to make the egg sweet, but here is the most simple version (and my personal favorite!).

Ingredients

  • 12 oz your fav espresso

  • 2 egg yolks

  • 4 tbsp sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

  1. Brew 2 cups of espresso

  2. Whip the egg yolk(s) and sweetened condensed milk until light frothy or soft peaks - this will take a few minutes!

  3. Add egg mixture on top of the espresso and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon!

Colin MeghanComment