How to make Vietnamese salt coffee (with salted cream) at home

Name: Vietnamese salt coffee
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients: Medium-ground coffee · 20 g; Just-boiled water · 80 ml; Sweetened condensed milk · 15 ml; Cold whipping cream · 40 ml; Fine salt · 0.5 g; Ice cubes (optional)

Salt coffee is phin coffee with a little condensed milk under a layer of cream whipped with a pinch of salt; the salt softens the coffee and lifts its aroma. This version is lightly sweet.

Time 10 min
Difficulty Medium
Serves 1 cup
Phin filter

Coffee: 20 g
Water: 80 ml · 92–96 °C
Condensed milk: 10 ml in the coffee, 5 ml in the cream
Whipping cream: 40 ml, chilled
Salt: 0.5 g (a small pinch)

You need

Medium-ground coffee · 20 g
Just-boiled water · 80 ml
Sweetened condensed milk · 15 ml
Cold whipping cream · 40 ml
Fine salt · 0.5 g
Ice cubes (optional)

Method

Put 10 ml of condensed milk in the glass.
Boil the water and let it rest for about 30 seconds, to around 92–96 °C.
Rinse the phin with boiling water to warm it, pour the water away, and set it on the glass of milk.
Add 20 g of coffee, shake it level, and set the press screen on top without pressing hard.
Pour about 20–25 ml of water to bloom. Let the grounds swell.
Pour in the rest of the water, to 80 ml in all, and put the lid on. Let it drip through.
Meanwhile, put 40 ml of cold whipping cream, 5 ml of condensed milk and 0.5 g of salt in a mixing cup.
Whisk with a handheld frother for 30–60 seconds until the cream thickens and flows slowly, like drinking yoghurt. Stop before it forms stiff peaks.
Lift off the phin and stir the coffee until the condensed milk dissolves. Add ice if you want it cold.
Pour the salted cream slowly over the back of a spoon so it floats in a layer on the coffee.
Drink it without stirring, so each sip has both cream and coffee.