Vietnamese egg coffee (cà phê trứng): what it is and how to make it

Vietnamese egg coffee, cà phê trứng, is strong coffee topped with a thick, sweet foam made from egg yolks whipped with sugar and sweetened condensed milk. It tastes a bit like coffee with a layer of custard or tiramisu cream on top, and it's a specialty of Hanoi.

It sounds unusual, but the egg doesn't taste eggy when it's made well. It tastes rich and sweet, almost like dessert.

Where does egg coffee come from?

Egg coffee is closely tied to Hanoi. The widely told story is that it was created in the 1940s by Nguyễn Văn Giảng, a bartender at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi hotel, at a time when fresh milk was scarce. He used whipped egg yolk as a substitute for milk foam. His family later ran Café Giảng in Hanoi, which is still often named as the place egg coffee started. Today you can find it all over Vietnam and in Vietnamese cafés abroad.

How do you say "cà phê trứng"?

Roughly "kah feh choong" (Northern) with the last word rising sharply. Trứng means egg and has the sắc (rising) tone.

What does it taste like?

• The topping: thick, airy and sweet, with a custard-like richness
• The coffee: strong and slightly bitter underneath
• Together: like a coffee dessert, with the bitterness balancing the sweet foam

Many cafés serve the cup in a small bowl of hot water to keep it warm, because the foam cools quickly. You can sip it, or eat the foam with a small spoon before drinking the coffee.

A note on raw egg and food safety

Traditional egg coffee uses raw egg yolks that are whipped but not cooked, although hot coffee warms them a little. Raw or undercooked eggs carry a risk of salmonella. For safety, especially for pregnant people, young children, older adults or anyone with a weakened immune system:

• Use pasteurized eggs, which are sold in many US grocery stores.
• Or gently cook the yolk mixture over a pan of simmering water while whisking (see the variation below).

Allergen note: this recipe contains egg and dairy.

Ingredients for one cup

• 1 large egg yolk (pasteurized recommended)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (about 25 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, to taste
• 2 tablespoons (about 15 g) dark-roast ground coffee, brewed in a phin to make about 1/3 cup (80 ml) of strong coffee
• Optional: a few drops of vanilla extract

Steps

1. Brew the coffee. Make a strong phin coffee (see how to use a phin filter). Keep the cup warm by setting it in a bowl of hot water.

2. Whip the yolk. Put the egg yolk and sugar in a clean bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or a milk frother for 2 to 3 minutes, until it turns pale and thick.

3. Add the condensed milk. Add the condensed milk and vanilla, if using, and keep beating for another 2 to 4 minutes until the mixture is thick, glossy and holds soft ribbons when you lift the beaters.

4. Assemble. Spoon the foam gently over the hot coffee. It should float in a thick layer.

5. Serve right away, with a small spoon.

Variation: cooked-yolk foam

If you prefer the yolk cooked, place the bowl with the yolk, sugar and condensed milk over a pan of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and reaches 160°F (71°C) on a thermometer, then take it off the heat and whip until fluffy. It's a little less airy but still delicious.

Tips for a better foam

• Use only the yolk. Any egg white makes the foam thinner and less rich.
• Whip longer than you think. Under-whipped yolk tastes more eggy.
• Keep it warm, but not too hot. Very hot coffee can make the foam collapse faster.
• A hand mixer works best. Whisking by hand is possible but takes a long time.

Iced egg coffee

Egg coffee can also be served cold. Pour the coffee over ice in a glass, then spoon the foam on top. The contrast between cold coffee and fluffy foam is popular in warm weather.

How does it compare with other Vietnamese coffees?

Egg coffee is richer and more dessert-like than cà phê sữa đá. If you're just starting out, try milk coffee first, then egg coffee when you want something special. For background on the coffee itself, see what Vietnamese coffee is.

Pasteurized eggs make this an easy, safer treat to try at home.