Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnamese Robusta coffee, ground medium-coarse | 25g, about 3 tablespoons | Brew stronger than a typical cup, since the yogurt and ice will soften the coffee |
| Hot water, just off the boil | 75ml, about 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons | Use less water than a standard cup for a more concentrated brew |
| Plain yogurt | 1 cup | Greek yogurt or Vietnamese-style yogurt both work |
| Sweetened condensed milk | 2-3 tablespoons, divided | Ông Thọ or Southern Star are common brands in Vietnamese coffee drinks |
| Ice | 1 cup, plus extra for serving | Chills the drink and slightly dilutes the strong coffee |
Step-by-step method
Step 1: Set up the phin
Place a phin filter over a cup. Add the ground coffee to the chamber and shake it level so the bed of grounds sits flat. Use a medium-coarse grind that drips slowly without clogging.
Step 2: Bloom the grounds
Pour a small splash of the hot water over the grounds, just enough to wet them evenly. Wait 20 to 30 seconds. This bloom step lets the coffee release trapped gas before the main pour.
Step 3: Brew the coffee
Add the remaining hot water to the phin chamber, then place the internal press according to your specific phin's design. Let the coffee drip fully into the cup; this usually takes several minutes for a concentrated brew.
Step 4: Let the coffee cool slightly
Some methods pour the coffee hot, straight from the phin. This recipe recommends letting it cool slightly instead, since a warm pour can soften the ice faster and thin out the yogurt layer more quickly.
Step 5: Mix the yogurt base
In your serving glass, stir together the plain yogurt and 1 to 2 tablespoons of condensed milk until smooth and well combined. This creates the tangy, creamy base layer of the drink.
Step 6: Add ice
Add a generous amount of ice directly on top of the yogurt mixture. The ice keeps the drink cold and slightly dilutes the strong coffee as it passes through the glass.
Step 7: Pour the coffee
Slowly pour the coffee over the ice so it cascades down through the yogurt layer. Pouring gradually creates a marbled look before the drink is stirred.
Step 8: Adjust sweetness
Taste the drink and stir in the remaining condensed milk if you prefer it sweeter. The yogurt's natural tang balances the coffee's bitterness, so less sweetener is often needed than in a standard iced coffee.
Step 9: Serve
Stir gently just before drinking to combine the layers, or serve it layered and let each person stir their own glass at the table. Serve immediately while the ice is still cold.
Variations
Some recipes add a small amount of salt directly to the coffee grounds before brewing, to bring out sweetness and soften perceived bitterness. Treat that as an optional technique rather than a required step.
Recipe sources disagree on whether the brewed coffee must cool before it meets the yogurt. Some cool the coffee or warn that a warm pour can affect texture, while others pour hot coffee directly over yogurt and ice. Cooling is a texture preference, not a strict rule.
For a café-style finish, shake the cooled coffee with crushed ice before pouring it over the yogurt base. This creates light foam on top of the coffee layer without changing the core flavor.
How this compares to other Vietnamese coffee drinks
Sữa chua cà phê belongs to a family of Vietnamese coffee drinks built around cutting Robusta's natural bitterness with a rich, often dairy-based addition. Where classic Vietnamese iced coffee uses condensed milk alone, and coconut coffee uses a blended coconut cream slush, yogurt coffee uses tangy plain yogurt as its primary softening ingredient.
For the classic milk-based version, see the Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Cà Phê Sữa Đá) Recipe. For the coconut-based version, see the Vietnamese Coconut Coffee (Cà Phê Cốt Dừa) Recipe.