Egg coffee blends the richness of coffee with the smooth texture of whipped egg, creating a comforting and bold drink. Vietnamese egg coffee (cà phê trứng) tops strong coffee with a creamy, condensed milk that turns your cup into a dessert-like experience. Swedish egg coffee uses the entire egg to clarify the brew, creating an incredibly smooth cup without bitterness.
These unique methods deliver extraordinary flavor experiences that coffee lovers shouldn’t miss.
Vietnamese Egg Coffee Recipe
Vietnamese Egg Coffee is a yummy, creamy drink. It mixes strong coffee with fluffy egg and sweet condensed milk. It is simple to make at home and tastes very creamy. Let’s learn how to make this special coffee in your kitchen!
What You’ll Need:
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- Freshly brewed Vietnamese coffee
- A mixing bowl and a whisk or a hand mixer
- A heatproof cup or glass
Step by Step Instructions:
1. Brew strong coffee: Brew a very strong cup of Vietnamese coffee using a traditional phin filter and Robusta Beans. If you don’t have one, espresso or strongly brewed coffee works too. Place your phin filter over your serving glass, add 2-3 tablespoons of ground coffee, and slowly pour hot water over it. Let it drip completely, which should take about 2-3 minutes.
2. Separate and whip the egg yolk: While the Coffee is brewing, crack one fresh egg and separate the yolk. Make sure not to get any whites in the mixture, as this will affect the texture. Add three tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to the yolks along with a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract (if using). Whip it using a hand whisk or electric mixer for 3–5 minutes until the mixture turns pale, thick, and creamy like custard.
3. Warm the egg mixture gently: To get that café-style warmth, place your whipped egg mix bowl over a pot of hot water for a minute or two. Keep stirring so it doesn’t cook—just warm it slightly. This makes the foam even silkier when poured.
4. Combine coffee and egg foam: Pour your brewed Vietnamese coffee into a small cup or glass. Gently spoon the whipped egg mixture over the top, letting it float like a golden cloud. The contrast of hot coffee and sweet foam is key to the experience.
5. Serve and enjoy right away: Dust the top with a little cocoa powder or cinnamon if desired. Serve immediately while still hot, with a small spoon. The traditional way to enjoy Vietnamese egg coffee is to take a small spoonful of the egg cream first, then sip the coffee through the cream layer. Alternatively, you can stir it all together for a consistently creamy drink throughout.
What Does Vietnamese Egg Coffee Taste Like?
Vietnamese Egg Coffee tastes rich, sweet, and creamy, like a dessert in a cup. The whipped egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk creates a thick, frothy topping, while the strong Vietnamese robusta coffee underneath adds a bold, slightly bitter contrast. It gives vibes of sweet custard or liquid tiramisu, velvety and indulgent with notes of vanilla from the condensed milk.
What are the Best Coffee Beans For Vietnamese Egg Coffee?
For Vietnamese Egg Coffee, you’ll get the best flavor using robusta beans. They’re strong, bold, and have that deep, earthy kick that stands up to the sweet egg cream. Look for Vietnamese-grown Robusta beans like Trung Nguyen, or choose a dark-roasted Robusta-Arabica blend like Lavazza that offers the intense and slightly bitter taste.
The History of Vietnamese Egg Coffee
Vietnamese egg coffee (cà phê trứng) was born from necessity during the milk shortage in Vietnam around 1946. A bartender named Nguyen Van Giang at Hanoi’s Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel created it as a clever dairy substitute. Giang whisked egg yolks with sugar and condensed milk to create a creamy topping for coffee when fresh milk was unavailable during the French occupation.
Giang’s creation became so popular that he eventually opened his own café, Café Giang, in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. This Cafe still serves its original recipe today and has become a must-visit destination for coffee enthusiasts from around the world.
How to Serve Vietnamese Egg Coffee?
Vietnamese Egg Coffee is traditionally served in a small, clear glass cup to show off the two beautiful layers. A spoon is placed alongside so the drinker can first taste the egg cream before stirring it into the coffee. Some people prefer to enjoy the distinct layers, while others like to mix them together.
Swedish Egg Coffee Recipe
Swedish Egg Coffee is a traditional way of making coffee that’s popular in some Scandinavian communities, especially among Swedish-Americans in the Midwest.
It makes a smooth, clear cup of coffee with very little bitterness. Egg helps pull out the acidity and gives the coffee a clean taste. It’s actually a clever, old-fashioned method that doesn’t require a coffee maker or filter.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 whole egg (also shell included)
- 1 cup cold water + 1 cup hot water
- 2-3 tablespoons of ground coffee (medium-coarse)
- A small saucepan
- Strainer or cheesecloth
Step by Step Instructions:
1. Boil the Water: Pour a cup of cold water into a saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
2. Crack the egg and prepare a mixture: Crack the raw egg into a small bowl. Don’t toss the shell—crush it and mix it in with the egg. Then add your ground coffee to the bowl. Stir everything together into a thick, gritty paste. This mixture will look somewhat frothy and have visible pieces of shell floating in it. The proteins in the egg will bind with bitter compounds in the coffee.
3. Add the Mixture to Boiling Water: Once your water reaches a full boil, carefully add the coffee-egg mixture to the center of the pot. The mixture will initially sink to the bottom. Do not stir at this point! Let the pot return to a boil, which should take about 30 seconds. Watch as the grounds begin to rise to the surface, forming what we call a “raft.”
4. Simmer Gently: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the coffee simmer gently for 5-7 minutes. During this time, you’ll notice the grounds form a solid mass floating at the top of the pot. The egg proteins are doing their job, binding with bitter compounds and impurities. The longer you simmer, the stronger your coffee will be, but don’t exceed 10 minutes or it may develop unwanted flavors.
5. Add Cold Water: Remove the pot from the heat and pour a small amount of cold water around the edges of the pot. This causes the grounds to sink to the bottom. It’s almost magical to watch – within about 30 seconds, the liquid should become noticeably clearer as the grounds settle. If you’re adding sugar for flavor, now is the time to stir it in gently.
6. Strain and serve: Carefully scoop the coffee into cups using a ladle while avoiding disturbing the grounds at the bottom. Alternatively, you can pour the coffee through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into serving cup. The resulting coffee should be amber-colored, clear, and remarkably smooth.
How Does Swedish Egg Coffee Taste?
Swedish Egg Coffee tastes smooth, clean, and surprisingly mild. The egg helps remove the bitterness and acidity from the coffee grounds, so you get a clear, almost tea-like cup with a rich but not overpowering flavor.
Why Do People Put Eggshells in Coffee?
People add eggshells to coffee because the shells help reduce bitterness and acidity. The calcium in the shells neutralizes some of the coffee’s natural acids, making the brew smoother and easier to drink. It’s an old trick used in recipes like Cowboy Scandinavian Egg Coffee.
Some Expert Tips for Egg Coffee
- Use fresh eggs. Always go with fresh, organic eggs—they’re safer to use raw and give the best flavor.
- Keep your whipping tools clean and dry: Egg mixtures get sticky fast. Use clean, dry bowls and whisks to keep the texture smooth and fluffy.
- Whip thoroughly for Vietnamese style: Beat the egg mixture until it reaches a creamy, mousse-like consistency for authentic texture.
- Watch the Heat: Don’t overboil the egg-coffee mix. Too much heat can cook the egg and give your drink a scrambled texture—nobody wants that in their cup!
- Use Coarse Grounds: Coarse grounds work best for egg coffee because they’re easier to strain and help create a cleaner, smoother brew.
What are the Benefits of Egg Coffee?
1. Gentler on Stomach: The egg helps cut the bitterness and acidity, so your coffee feels smoother and easier on your stomach.
2. High in Protein: Eggs add a little protein boost to your cup, which can help keep you full a bit longer.
3. Fewer Additives: Egg Coffee doesn’t call for artificial creamers and sweeteners—just real ingredients like egg, coffee, and condensed milk.
Is Egg Coffee Safe to Drink?
Egg coffee is completely safe to drink when made properly. The boiling water in Swedish egg coffee cooks the eggs, killing any harmful bacteria. For Vietnamese egg coffee, which uses raw eggs, you can use pasteurized eggs instead – they give you the same creamy texture without any food safety concerns.
Whether it’s the rich dessert-like Vietnamese style or the campfire-ready Swedish method, egg coffee is a tradition worth savoring.
Check Out Delicious Creamy Coffee Recipes
Vietnamese Egg Coffee Recipe
Equipment
- Phin Coffee Filter or Coffee Maker
- Whisk or Blender
Ingredients
- 1 Egg Yolk
- Robusta Coffee Beans
- 2 tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk
Instructions
- Brew strong coffee: Use a phin filter and Robusta beans to brew strong Vietnamese coffee, or substitute with espresso or strong drip coffee.
- Whip the egg yolk: While the coffee brews, whisk one egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk, a pinch of salt, and vanilla until thick and creamy.
- Warm the egg mixture: Gently warm the whipped egg mix over hot water for 1–2 minutes. Keep stirring to avoid cooking—just to make it silky.
- Combine coffee and foam: Pour the hot coffee into a cup and gently spoon the egg foam on top, letting it float like a creamy layer.
- Serve and enjoy: Dust with cocoa or cinnamon if you like, and enjoy hot—either sip through the foam or stir it all together.
