Cà Phê Recipe

Place a tall glass on your workspace. Spoon 3 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk into the bottom of the glass and spread it evenly. Set the glass aside.

Bring water to a near boil then remove from heat; target temperature is about 95°C (203°F). Warm the phin filter by rinsing it with a little hot water, then discard that rinse water. This helps maintain brewing temperature.

Put 2 tablespoons (about 0.06 cups) of coarsely ground dark roast Vietnamese coffee into the phin chamber. Place the filter press (the small perforated disk) on top of the grounds and press lightly—do not compact tightly, just enough to level the grounds.

Bloom

Pour a small amount (about 1–2 tablespoons) of the hot water into the phin to wet the grounds evenly and let it sit for 20–30 seconds. This allows the coffee to bloom and release trapped gases.

Brew

After the bloom, place the phin lid and pour the remaining hot water (to reach ~1/4 cup in total brewed coffee) into the phin. Place the phin on top of the glass with the condensed milk. Allow the coffee to drip slowly into the glass for 4–6 minutes. A slow, steady drip is ideal. If it drips too fast, tighten the filter slightly; if too slow, check grind size or water temperature.

Once the coffee has fully dripped into the glass, remove the phin. Stir the hot brewed coffee thoroughly into the sweetened condensed milk until fully combined and smooth. Taste: for a creamier drink, add 1–2 tablespoons of cold milk or water and stir to integrate.

Fill a serving glass with about 1 cup of ice cubes. Pour the sweetened coffee mixture over the ice. Stir lightly to chill and dilute to desired strength. Serve immediately with a straw or spoon.

To make a less sweet version, reduce condensed milk to 2 tablespoons or use a mixture of 1 tablespoon condensed milk + 2 tablespoons evaporated milk. For a hot version (cà phê sữa nóng), skip ice and serve after combining. For non-dairy, use sweetened condensed coconut milk if available.