Today we would like to introduce you to CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG, also known as Vietnamese egg coffee. This delicacy, which at first glance takes some getting used to for Europeans, is particularly popular in Hanoi.
Coffee is now a common drink. No matter where you travel on earth, the drink that was once known as "black gold" is celebrated in almost every country. In some areas, a real culture has developed around coffee - just think of the many different variations of Italian cuisine. That is also what makes this drink so special: even if the basic ingredients are always the same (water and coffee beans), the "accompaniments" can be adapted to the country's typical tastes and preferences in each region.
Everyone has their own personal idea of what the “perfect” coffee should look like: ground by hand or the coffee powder from your favorite manufacturer , poured with hand filter or heated over steam - hardly any other drink offers so many different variations and design options. In this article, however, we are dealing with a very special type of coffee: Vietnamese egg coffee. So we are once again traveling - at least in our thoughts - to this beautiful country.
Vietnam – a country with coffee history
It is legitimate to call Vietnam a "coffee country". On the one hand, with a view to the importance of the drink in the present day, and on the other hand, with a view to the history of coffee in the country. Older records show that the first coffee beans were grown in Vietnam as early as 1857. At that time, it was the French colonialists who imported their favorite drink to the Asian country. Due to the ideal location with many coastlines, the cultivation of coffee soon became popular throughout the country.
Even more You can find background information on Vietnamese coffee cultivation here .
The Asian country has now developed into one of the world's most important exporters of the black bean. Originally, the Arabica bean dominated Vietnam's growing areas. However, the vast majority of production now comes from the Robusta bean. This is also reflected in the Vietnamese coffee culture. Anyone who wants to enjoy authentic Vietnamese coffee cannot avoid this type of bean. We have discussed the difference between Arabica and Robusta in more detail in another of our blog articles .
CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG: Vietnamese egg coffee
In Vietnam, coffee is a cult: different types of coffee are available on Vietnamese streets around the clock: freshly brewed or cold , If you like, with condensed or coconut milk : there is something for everyone here. By the way, coffee is traditionally served in a glass and not in a cup. On top of this sits a Metal filter with hot water. So here it is still often said: Do it yourself! However, this has the great advantage that the coffee is always freshly prepared. And you can taste it too.
Coffee recipe: Vietnamese egg coffee (CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG)
A very special and unusual variant is CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG, known as Vietnamese egg coffee. Some fans also call it “liquid tiramisu” due to its rich and sweet taste. You only need a few ingredients to prepare it.
Ingredients Vietnamese egg coffee (for 2 people)
- 2 espressos
- 2 egg yolks
- Depending on taste 4-6 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- Optional: ½ tablespoon vanilla or a dash of good cognac
Preparation: Coffee with egg
- The preparation is simple. For an original CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG, you first prepare a strong, dark espresso. Our personal recommendation would be the VietBeans Espresso Strong or VietBeans Traditional , brewed in the traditional Phin. This method of preparation gives the coffee a particularly aromatic and strong note.
- Then you only need the egg for the egg coffee. Add egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk into a bowl and beat the mixture (preferably with a whisk) until you get a nice thick, foamy consistency.
- You then add this foam to your freshly brewed coffee with a spoon and voilà, the Vietnamese egg coffee is ready.
If you like sweet, chocolaty coffee variations, CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG is the right choice for you. An easy-to-prepare, tasty coffee dessert from Vietnam.
The CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG: a drink with history
As some of you may have already guessed, this coffee creation is more of a dessert than an everyday morning coffee. However, the historical background of this special drink is of a more serious nature. The idea for it came about around 1940, when the Indochina War was raging. For this reason, various foods were in short supply in the country, including the very popular condensed milk. So people looked for ways to save on this condensed milk.
A certain Nguyen Van Giang is said to have invented this variant of coffee in 1964. As a bartender, he came up with the simple idea of diluting condensed milk with egg yolk. This was obviously not a problem, as there were enough chickens in the country and the supply of this natural product was therefore guaranteed. This drink was so popular and successful right from the start that Nguyen was even able to open his own café with this idea.
Enjoy your egg coffee in the center of Hanoi
Therefore, this special coffee experience can still be experienced in the streets of Hanoi today. A rather In this inconspicuous cafe on 11P Hang Gai Street , hidden between various souvenir shops, a small door leads to a cozy courtyard. The Phố Cổ cafe is still run in the traditional way and you can enjoy the original CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG here.
But other variants of the favorite black drink are also available in Vietnam. The Cà phê sūa đá – a Vietnamese variation of iced coffee . Here, too, a very strong coffee is combined with sweetened, thick condensed milk – and finally a generous portion of ice cubes. This coffee offers pleasant refreshment, especially at higher temperatures. You can find the complete recipe for the iced coffee in our blog article .
Maybe unusual, but definitely unusually tasty
The CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG is a real recommendation - either directly on the streets of Hanoi or in your own four walls, to bring Vietnam into your living room at least in terms of taste. This variant of coffee may seem a little unusual at first compared to what we are normally used to in terms of taste. But if you like to experiment with flavors and want to try new things, you can try this variant of egg coffee. Incidentally, the CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG is also excellent for preparing for guests.
However, CÀ PHÊ TRỨNG is not the only coffee specialty that is combined with eggs: There is also such an unusual combination on the German North Sea coast. It is simply called "egg coffee". This is a hand-filtered coffee to which an egg is added. The egg ensures that all bitter substances are removed from the caffeine. This egg coffee is therefore considered to be a particularly mild and harmonious coffee.
But in the end, no matter which type of coffee you choose, it has to taste good! And that's why it doesn't matter whether you enjoy it black or with sweetened condensed milk; hot brewed or fresh from the freezer, pure or with lots of sugar - everyone can enjoy their coffee exactly how they like it best.
