Top tips for making Vietnamese egg coffee at home

• It's a well-kept secret that Vietnamese egg yolk coffee is much easier to make than you would imagine.
• If you have a Phin filter, you can make a completely authentic Vietnamese coffee. But, it's not necessary. You can use any espresso machine or coffee maker. Check out How to make an espresso without an espresso machine.
• Similarly, if you've got Vietnamese coffee, then it makes sense to use it for this recipe. Otherwise, you can use any robust dark roast or espresso coffee.
• You only need to brew a short strong coffee to make a great-tasting egg coffee.
• As always, for the best results, use the best quality, fresh coffee beans. And grind the beans just before you use them.
• Remember, some peoples have allergies or other health issues so check if you and anyone you are offering an egg coffee to can tolerate egg yolk.
• Also Remember, there are health risks of consuming raw eggs, including salmonella poisoning. So it's best to use pasteurized eggs.

If using a Phin coffee maker

• Put the bottom tray and brew chamber onto a glass or mug.
• Heat the water to a temperature of about 195°F to 205°F (about 90°C to 96°C). If it boils, just remove it from the heat and let it stand for a minute or two.
• While the water is heating, put 2 tbsp of fresh ground coffee into the filter and put the pressure plate into the brew chamber.
• When the water is ready, pour a small about in some water, just enough to cover the grounds. Leave for 20-30 seconds to allow the coffee to bloom. Blooming coffee is important because it lets out unwanted gasses resulting in better-tasting coffee.
• After the blooming is complete, fill the brew chamber to the top and put the lid on top.
• If you have ground the coffee to a perfect size, the brewing process should take about 5 minutes.
• If brewing takes much less than 5 minutes, next time grind the coffee a little finer.
• Or, if it takes much longer than 5 minutes to brew, next time try a coarser grind size.

Finishing the coffee

• To test whether you have whisked the egg and condensed milk enough you can drop a small amount into a glass of water. If it floats you have got it right! Otherwise, just whisk it a bit more until it reaches a really creamy texture.
• When adding the mixture to the coffee, pour gently so that it forms a complete covering layer.
• If you want you can dust with some cocoa powder, but it's not necessary because the coffee tastes great as it is.