Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream (Printable Version)
Creamy Vietnamese coffee ice cream with bold espresso and sweetened condensed milk for a rich, indulgent frozen dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Ice Cream Base
01 - 1 ½ cups whole milk
02 - 1 ½ cups heavy cream
03 - ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
04 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
05 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Coffee
06 - ½ cup very strong brewed Vietnamese coffee or espresso
07 - 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
→ Egg Yolks
08 - 5 large egg yolks
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine whole milk, heavy cream, half the sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until just steaming, avoiding a boil.
02 - Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar in a separate bowl until mixture becomes pale and thickened.
03 - Gradually pour about 1 cup of hot milk mixture into yolks while whisking continuously to prevent curdling.
04 - Return yolk mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon, reaching 170–175°F, approximately 4–6 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in brewed coffee, instant espresso powder if using, and sweetened condensed milk until completely blended.
06 - Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, minimum 4 hours or preferably overnight.
07 - Process chilled custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions until thickened.
08 - Transfer churned ice cream to an airtight container. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving to achieve firmer consistency.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sweetened condensed milk creates that signature Vietnamese coffee richness you cant fake with regular sugar alone
- Unlike fancy gelato places that charge premium prices, this costs a fraction to make at home
02 -
- Sweetened condensed milk settles at the bottom, so whisk your cooled custard thoroughly before churning
- Overcooking the custard step will give you scrambled eggs in your ice cream, so watch for that coating spoon moment and remove immediately
03 -
- Place your storage container in the freezer while the ice cream churns so its already cold when you transfer the soft serve
- Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface before sealing to prevent ice crystals from forming on top