Ca Phe Trung Recipe | Vietnamese Egg Coffee
Ca Phe Trung
Vietnamese Egg Coffee
Whipped egg yolk, condensed milk and sugar beaten into a thick, custardy foam, layered over hot black Phin coffee. Hanoi's most famous coffee ritual, no dairy needed.
Ca phe trung, or Vietnamese egg coffee, is a Hanoi speciality made by whisking egg yolk, sugar and condensed milk into a thick, custardy foam and spooning it over hot black Phin coffee. This guide shows you how to make it at home, step by step, with a Vietnamese Phin filter.
This is Hanoi in a cup. Hanoi Haze is our smooth, floral 100% Arabica, and its delicate, caramel-leaning character is exactly what egg coffee needs underneath all that rich foam. A bolder Robusta would fight the custard. Hanoi Haze lets it sing.
Start with the full ritual: one Phin filter, three coffees and an easy way to discover Vietnamese coffee at home.
Shop Starter KitWhat You Need
How to Brew
Brew the Coffee First
Set up your Phin filter over a small, sturdy cup. Add 15g of Hanoi Haze, bloom with a splash of hot water, then top up to 60ml and let it drip for 4 to 6 minutes. You want it hot and concentrated, so brew it first and keep it warm while you whip the topping.
Separate the Yolk
Carefully separate one egg yolk into a clean, dry bowl. Discard the white, or save it for something else. Room temperature yolks whip up faster and fluffier than cold ones straight from the fridge.
Whip the Foam
Add 1 tablespoon of condensed milk to the yolk. Whisk by hand or with an electric mixer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns pale, thick and roughly triples in volume. It should hold a soft peak and look like a light custard.
Layer It On
Spoon the whipped egg foam generously over the hot black coffee. Let it sit on top rather than stirring it in. The layers are the point: bitter coffee below, sweet custard above.
Serve Warm
Serve immediately in a small cup. Traditionally in Hanoi it is set inside a bowl of hot water to keep the coffee warm while you spoon through the foam. Eat the custard first, then drink the coffee underneath.
The easiest way to start
If you are new to Vietnamese coffee, the Starter Kit gives you the Phin filter plus three 100g coffees to explore different PHIN KAFI flavours, including Hanoi Haze.
Brewing Tips
Use a fresh, room temperature yolk and whisk longer. An electric mixer on high gets you there in about 5 minutes; by hand it can take closer to 10.
Use the freshest egg you can find and whisk thoroughly. The condensed milk and sugar should fully mask any raw egg smell once it is properly whipped.
Brew the coffee first and keep the cup in a bowl of hot water while you whip the foam. Ca phe trung is meant to be sipped warm, not hot.
Cut the condensed milk to 2 teaspoons instead of a full tablespoon. The foam will be slightly less thick but still whips up nicely.
FAQ
Ca phe trung uses a raw egg yolk whipped with sugar and condensed milk. Use the freshest, highest-quality eggs you can find, and if you are pregnant, immunocompromised, or serving young children, choose pasteurised eggs instead.
Think tiramisu or coffee eggnog: rich, sweet, custardy foam on top of strong black coffee. It is closer to a dessert than a regular cup of coffee.
Yes. Any strong, concentrated black coffee works, such as moka pot or strong drip coffee. The Phin filter simply gives the most traditional, slow-drip result and the right strength for the foam to sit on top of.
This usually means the yolk was too cold or was not whisked long enough. Let the egg come to room temperature first, and whisk continuously until the mixture is pale, thick and roughly triples in volume.
We recommend Hanoi Haze. Its smooth, floral 100% Arabica profile balances the rich, sweet egg foam far better than a heavier Robusta blend would.
Brew Vietnamese coffee at home
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