Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream (Printable)
Rich coffee ice cream with sweetened condensed milk inspired by Vietnamese cà phê sữa đá. Bold flavor meets creamy texture.
# 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 Components
06 - ½ cup very strong brewed Vietnamese coffee or espresso
07 - 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
→ Egg Mixture
08 - 5 large egg yolks
# How To Make:
01 - Combine whole milk, heavy cream, half the sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until steaming, avoiding boil.
02 - Beat egg yolks with remaining sugar in a separate bowl until mixture appears pale and thickened.
03 - Gradually stream 1 cup hot milk into yolks while whisking continuously to prevent curdling.
04 - Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon until custard coats spoon back (170–175°F), approximately 4–6 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in brewed coffee, espresso powder, and sweetened condensed milk until completely incorporated.
06 - Pour custard through fine-mesh sieve into clean bowl. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate covered for minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight.
07 - Process chilled custard in ice cream maker following manufacturer's guidelines.
08 - Transfer churned ice cream to airtight container. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving to achieve firm consistency.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The coffee flavor hits like your first sip of morning brew but finishes with the luxurious creaminess of gelato
- Sweetened condensed milk does double duty as sweetener and texture enhancer, making this foolproof even for ice cream novices
02 -
- The custard step is not optional when using egg yolks undercooking can lead to a sandy texture from sugar crystals
- Overheating the custard will scramble your yolks instantly and ruin the whole batch so keep that heat moderate
03 -
- Chill your ice cream canister in the freezer for at least 24 hours before churning for the best results
- Add a tablespoon of vodka to the base before churning if you want a softer texture that scoops straight from the freezer