My childhood memories are mostly food related. Tastes and smells often trigger something deep in my mind, taking me back in time. My fondest memory revolved around my father and his ice coffees. Every day during summertime, he would make himself one and, if I'm good, he'd make one for me too. Didn't matter how young I was, didn't matter that I wasn't even old enough to go to school yet, I was already drinking coffee! These sort of things never bothered my parents, and or that, I'm grateful!
My father usually made a simple instant coffee with ice cubes. He'd make his black and he would put some sugar in mine. But, when he's in a good mood or when he feels fancier, he'd go to the store and buy a can of condensed milk. I loved these cans! Still do! What is he doing with the condensed milk? Well, Vietnamese ice coffee, of course! Also known as cà phê đá (cà phê = coffee and đá = ice), Vietnamese ice coffee, along with staples such as the Banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) are the perfect result of the effect of French colonialism on Vietnamese culture.
There are different variations but typically, you make a Vietnamese coffee by pouring some condensed milk at the bottom of your glass, then pour freshly brewed coffee on top. Add ice cubes, mix the whole thing together and enjoy! On very hot days, my father would substitute the condensed milk for vanilla ice cream, and I'm in heaven!
My father would make these coffees out of nostalgia. He was homesick and sipping this refreshing cold drink reminded him of home. The other day I was myself also feeling nostalgic and decided to revisit one of my childhood favorites. Anyone who knows me well would tell you that although I love baking, my absolute all-time dessert of choice is ice cream. I worship ice cream! Can't have enough and I would eat them at any time of the year. Who said they were just for summer? Anyways, it was a hot summer day and I realized that I hadn't had a Vietnamese coffee in decades. Even though I started drinking coffee at a very young age, I did not grow up to be a coffee maniac. One cup a day in the morning is enough for me. Since I just bought myself an ice cream machine, I decided to combine my favorite childhood treat with my favorite dessert, and behold, the Vietnamese coffee ice cream!
The result was extremely satisfying! It tasted like my early childhood, it was refreshing and the coffee still had a kick (I was concerned all the ice would have diminished its effect).
So, if you're looking to make something different this summer, why don't you give this one a try? Plus, it's super easy to prepare!
Vietnamese coffee ice cream
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cup of good freshly brewed coffee
- 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
- In a bowl, mix together the coffee, condensed milk, and cream until combined. Cover and chill the mixture overnight.
- Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover and freeze until firm.
That's it! How easy was that? I like to sprinkle some ground coffee in the mixture in step 3 because I enjoy the little crunch. If that's not your cup of tea, leave it like that or add a few dark chocolate chips if you like. Even better, melt the chocolate and pour it in the ice cream machine, when the ice cream is almost ready. If your machine does not allow that, pour it in the mixture in step 3 and delicately mix a little bit. The melted chocolate will freeze into fine and delicate strands. The end result would be more refined than just chocolate chips.
Note: If the coffee is too strong for you, use 1 cup of brewed coffee instead of 1 1/2.
Enjoy!
