Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato | One Pot One Portion
It’s hard not to have a little extra pep in your step when the sun is shining, and making you or your loved ones something delicious feels even more enticing, so take this as your sign to make this simple, fun recipe. This affogato combines two of my favourite sweet summer delicacies, a Vietnamese iced coffee, which mixes strong black coffee with sweetened condensed milk, and an affogato which exemplifies simplicity combining ice cream with coffee.
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This recipe combines two of my favourite sweet summer delicacies: the rich, bold flavour of a Vietnamese iced coffee, which traditionally mixes strong black coffee with sweetened condensed milk, and the effortless simplicity of an affogato, where glorious ice cream meets hot coffee. It’s a truly perfect single serve meal for any sweet craving.
My Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato is a celebration of contrasting temperatures and harmonious flavours. It’s an incredibly easy one to put together, producing a wonderfully creamy, bittersweet, and refreshing dessert or coffee experience in mere moments. This is my go-to when I want something indulgent and uplifting, especially as a summer recipe. It’s proof that recipes for one person can be incredibly sophisticated and satisfying, offering a genuine moment of enjoyment in your solo cooking journey.
About This Dish
My Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato brings together the best of two worlds: the iconic, intense sweetness of Vietnamese iced coffee and the elegant simplicity of an Italian affogato. Vietnamese iced coffee (Cà Phê Sữa Đá) is renowned for its strong, robust brew softened by the creamy sweetness of condensed milk. An affogato, on the other hand, is the epitome of quick dessert, typically just a scoop of vanilla ice cream drowned in a shot of hot espresso.
This particular recipe combines their very best elements into one glorious single serve dessert. The warm, dark coffee slowly melts the cold ice cream, creating a luscious pool of creamy sweetness, which is then amplified by a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. The optional pinch of flaky sea salt adds a surprising and addictive pop that elevates every spoonful. It’s a truly quick and easy one serving recipe that feels like a luxurious treat, making it a star among single portions recipes.
Why You'll Want to Make My Recipe
My Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato is an absolute game-changer for anyone seeking a quick, satisfying, and utterly delicious treat designed specifically for a single serving. Whether you’re a busy solo cooking enthusiast, a student looking for a substantial pick-me-up, or simply someone who appreciates the efficiency of one portion recipes, this dessert is crafted for you. It’s a one pot recipe (well, one glass!), offering maximum enjoyment with minimal effort.
Single Serve
This recipe is inherently a single serve meal. Every ingredient is precisely portioned to create one perfect, delightful Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato, eliminating waste and ensuring you have just the right amount for a satisfying treat. It's truly a one portion recipe marvel, designed for effortless enjoyment when you're cooking for one. This makes it an ideal single serve dessert.
Quick & Easy
From scooping the ice cream to pouring the coffee, this dish genuinely comes together in mere moments. There's no cooking involved beyond preparing the coffee. This makes it a fantastic choice for a super speedy afternoon treat, a fuss-free dinner for one dessert, or even a refreshing start to the day. No long waits, just deliciousness in a flash, making it one of my favourite single serve recipes and recipes for one person.
One Pot (Well, One Glass!)
This is the true beauty of this recipe! My Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato is a genuine one pot recipe in spirit, as everything comes together in a single serving glass or bowl. There’s no pan or hob needed for the main assembly. This significantly minimises washing up, ensuring you spend less time scrubbing and more time enjoying. It’s the ultimate convenience for cooking for one, keeping your kitchen tidy while delivering maximum flavour.
Top Tips for Perfect Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato
Creating a perfectly balanced and delightful Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato is simple with these key tips.
- Quality Coffee Matters: Since coffee is one of only two main components (plus condensed milk), use a good quality espresso or strong black coffee that you genuinely enjoy the flavour of. Its rich taste will be prominent.
- Use a Cold Glass/Bowl: Serve your ice cream in a chilled glass or small bowl. This will help the ice cream maintain its structure for a little longer against the hot coffee, prolonging the experience.
- Scoop Neatly: A large, firm scoop of ice cream works best, as it will hold up longer and create that satisfying visual contrast with the dark coffee.
- Drizzle the Condensed Milk Last: While some people mix the condensed milk with the coffee first for a Vietnamese iced coffee, for an affogato, drizzling it over the ice cream and coffee allows it to slowly swirl and melt, creating beautiful patterns and pockets of intense sweetness.
- Don't Skip the Salt (Optional but Recommended): That tiny pinch of flaky sea salt truly elevates this single serve dessert. It works wonders to cut through the sweetness and enhance both the coffee and caramel notes, making the flavours pop. It’s a small addition that makes a big difference.
Ingredients and Tools You'll Need
Having the right ingredients and a few basic tools makes whipping up my delicious single serve dessert a breeze.
Essential Ingredients:
- Ice Cream: One large scoop (or two small ones) of good quality vanilla ice cream. The creamy, cold sweetness is essential to the affogato experience.
- Espresso: One shot of freshly brewed, hot espresso. Its strong, concentrated flavour stands up beautifully to the sweetness of the ice cream and condensed milk.
- Condensed Milk: A drizzle of sweetened condensed milk, such as Carnation condensed milk, provides that signature creamy sweetness found in Vietnamese iced coffee.
Optional Additions:
- Flaky Sea Salt: An optional but highly recommended pinch of flaky sea salt to sprinkle over the top, which perfectly balances the sweetness and enhances the coffee's flavour.
Essential Tools:
- Small Bowl or Glass: Your serving vessel, which acts as the 'one pot' for this delightful dessert. A clear glass allows you to appreciate the beautiful layers as the ice cream melts.
- Espresso Machine / Coffee Maker: To brew your shot of hot espresso or strong black coffee.
- Spoon: For scooping the ice cream and enjoying your affogato.
Delicious Variations
My Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato is incredibly versatile! Feel free to adapt it to your taste or dietary needs. It's a fantastic example of how to cook for one.
- Making it Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free! All ingredients are inherently gluten-free.
- Making it Dairy-Free: This requires substituting the ice cream and condensed milk.
- Ice Cream: Use a good quality dairy-free vanilla ice cream (e.g., oat, almond, coconut, or soy-based).
- Condensed Milk: Use a dairy-free sweetened condensed milk alternative (often made from coconut or oat milk).
- Making it Vegan: Follow the dairy-free substitutions above, ensuring your ice cream and condensed milk alternatives are vegan-friendly. The coffee itself is vegan.
- Different Ice Cream Flavours: While vanilla is classic, experiment with coffee, chocolate, or even a caramel ice cream for different flavour profiles.
- Spiked Version: For an adult treat, add a small splash of coffee liqueur, dark rum, or Irish cream along with the espresso.
- Chocolate Drizzle: Instead of or in addition to condensed milk, a drizzle of chocolate sauce could be delicious.
- Toppings: A sprinkle of cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or a few coffee beans can add extra texture and flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is a Vietnamese Iced Coffee?
A: Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Cà Phê Sữa Đá) is a popular beverage made by brewing very strong, dark-roasted coffee (traditionally using a phin filter) and mixing it with a generous amount of sweetened condensed milk. It's usually served over ice, creating a rich, creamy, and intensely sweet coffee experience.
Q: What is an Affogato?
A: An Affogato is a simple Italian coffee-based dessert. The word "affogato" means "drowned" in Italian, referring to a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream that is "drowned" with a shot of hot espresso poured directly over it. It's cherished for its simplicity and the delightful contrast of hot and cold, bitter and sweet.
Q: Can I use regular strong coffee instead of espresso?
A: Yes, you can! While espresso provides the most concentrated coffee flavour, you can use a very strong shot of filter coffee or French press coffee. The key is for the coffee to be hot and strong enough to stand up to the sweetness and creaminess of the ice cream and condensed milk.
Q: What is sweetened condensed milk?
A: Sweetened condensed milk is cow's milk from which water has been removed (condensed), and sugar has been added. It's very thick and sweet, with a distinct creamy flavour, and is widely used in desserts and beverages, notably in Vietnamese coffee.
Q: Why add flaky sea salt?
A: Adding a small pinch of flaky sea salt to sweet dishes, especially those with caramel or coffee notes, is a chef's trick to enhance and balance the flavours. The salt acts as a counterpoint to the sweetness, making the other flavours pop and feel more complex, preventing the dish from being overly cloying.
Enjoy my incredibly easy, refreshing, and perfectly portioned Vietnamese Iced Coffee Affogato! It's the ultimate example of how simple ingredients can create something truly delicious when you're cooking for one.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Serve up your ice cream scoops in a small bowl or glass.
- Pour over the coffee then drizzle over the condensed milk drizzle.
- Finish with an optional, but highly recommend, pinch of sea salt.
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Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
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