Egg Coffee From Andrea Nguyen
Food52
Photo by Aubrie Pick
- Serves
- 1 to 2
- Prep Time
- 5 Minutes
Among Hanoi coffee specialties is egg coffee—super warm coffee with a floater or beaten egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk. It dates to the 1950s, supposedly when there was a shortage of milk in Hanoi. Beaten egg yolks with condensed milk extends the milk in an elegant, delicious manner. People likely hand-beat the yolks back then. Nowadays an electric mixer does the job in roughly 2 minutes. Egg coffee is rich and sweet, practically fancy-dessert-like. Enjoy it as an afternoon pick-me-up or serve it in small portions after dinner. Add 1 tablespoon whiskey or cognac for extra flourish. -Andrea Nguyen
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk (coconut, if preferred)
- 1/2 cup brewed Vietnamese Coffee or other strong coffee, about 90°F
Featured Video
Egg Coffee From Andrea Nguyen
Reprinted from Ever-Green Vietnamese: Super-Fresh Recipes, Starring Plants from Land and Sea. Copyright © 2023 by Andrea Nguyen. Reprinted with permission by National Geographic Books. Notes: If a white ropy strand (chalaza) is attached to the yolk, it’s a sign of a super-fresh egg. However, it may not blend into the egg-cream mixture, so I usually remove it by straining through a mesh strainer. *To minimize food safety risk, I don’t eat raw eggs often and I buy good-quality fresh eggs. I also keep them refrigerated and check for clean, intact shells. Try pasteurized or coddled eggs for this recipe. -Andrea Nguyen *Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.
Directions
- Step 1
Make the egg cream: In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk. Using a handheld electric mixer on high speed, beat the mixture for about 2 minutes, until it turns thick and pale yellow. Expect it to resemble slightly aerated, extra-rich condensed milk. (You should have roughly ⅓ cup.)
- Step 2
Transfer the coffee to a serving cup; if you’re sharing, divide it between two small cups or glasses, each with a capacity of about ½ cup. Using a spoon, gently spoon the creamy egg mixture on top. Serve immediately with demitasse spoons for guests to mix and enjoy.