Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream (Print Version)

Rich, creamy ice cream with bold Vietnamese coffee flavor and sweetened condensed milk for an indulgent frozen treat.

# What You 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

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Combine whole milk, heavy cream, half the sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until steaming, taking care not to boil the mixture.
02 - Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar in a separate bowl until the mixture becomes pale and thickened in texture.
03 - Gradually pour approximately 1 cup of the hot dairy mixture into the yolks while whisking continuously to prevent curdling and properly temper the eggs.
04 - Return the yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, reaching 170–175°F. This typically takes 4–6 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat immediately. Stir in brewed coffee, espresso powder if using, and sweetened condensed milk until completely blended and smooth.
06 - Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until thoroughly chilled.
07 - Process the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
08 - Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving to achieve a firmer, scoopable texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of sweetened condensed milk and bold coffee creates that signature Vietnamese coffee flavor in creamy frozen form
  • Its incredibly forgiving and comes out perfectly smooth even if you are new to making custard based ice cream
02 -
  • The chilling step is absolutely critical because warm custard will never churn properly in your ice cream maker
  • Cooking the custard past 175 degrees can cause the eggs to scramble, so watch closely and trust your senses
03 -
  • If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the chilled custard into a shallow dish and freeze, stirring every 30 minutes until firm
  • A tablespoon of vodka added to the base helps keep the ice cream softer and more scoopable

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