Ingredients
Egg foam
- 1very fresh egg yolk
- 2 tablespoonssweetened condensed milk
- a few drops of vanilla
- a pinch of salt
Coffee
- 2 tablespoonsVietnamese robusta coffee, coarse ground
- 80 mlhot water, just off the boil
To serve
- a small glass
- a bowl of hot water, to sit the glass in
- a spoon
Equipment
- a phin filter
- a small whisk or electric beater
Directions
- Use the freshest eggs you can find. Do not serve it to anyone who should avoid raw egg.
- Crack the egg carefully and separate the yolk. Let the yolk come to room temperature. Cold yolks whip much more slowly.
- Put the yolk in a small deep bowl. Add the condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Whisk it hard and keep on going. By hand it takes a good five minutes.
- Lift the whisk and let it fall back. The trail should sit on the surface briefly. Keep going if it still looks thin. Brewing the coffee is done alongside.
- Put the coffee grounds into the phin. Use a coarse grind rather than a fine one. Set the press disc on top and press it down.
- Pour a little hot water in to wet the grounds. Wait thirty seconds for them to bloom. Put the lid on and let it drip through. It should take four or five minutes.
- Pour the hot black coffee into a small glass. Fill it only about a third full. The foam takes up most of the glass. Pile it up above the rim if you can. It should sit as a thick pale layer.
Technique
- The drink was created in nineteen forty-six by Nguyen Van Giang at the Sofitel Metropole in Hanoi, using egg yolk because fresh milk was scarce.
- The cafe he later opened in the Hanoi old quarter is still run by his family.
Substitutions
- Pasteurised egg yolks remove the raw egg risk entirely and whip the same way.
- Any strong dark-roast coffee works in place of Vietnamese robusta.
Variations
- Some cafes make a cold version poured over ice.
- Egg foam is also served over hot chocolate and over beer in Hanoi.
- Ca phe muoi, salt coffee, is the other well known Vietnamese coffee drink.
History
Created in 1946 by Nguyen Van Giang at the Sofitel Metropole in Hanoi, using egg yolk in place of scarce fresh milk.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ca Phe Trung?
Ca Phe Trung is a drink from Vietnam: egg yolk whipped with condensed milk into a foam poured over black coffee. Created in 1946 by Nguyen Van Giang at the Sofitel Metropole in Hanoi, using egg yolk in place of scarce fresh milk.
How long does Ca Phe Trung take to make?
Ca Phe Trung takes 15 minutes of preparation and 5 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 1. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Ca Phe Trung?
Yes, within limits. Pasteurised egg yolks remove the raw egg risk entirely and whip the same way. Any strong dark-roast coffee works in place of Vietnamese robusta.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ca Phe Trung?
Use the freshest eggs you can find. Do not serve it to anyone who should avoid raw egg.
