Vietnamese Coffee

Instructions

1. Prepare the glasses
   Add 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to the bottom of each glass. For hot coffee, use heat-resistant glasses. For iced coffee (cà phê sữa đá), use tall glasses that can accommodate ice.
2. Set up the coffee filter
   Place the Vietnamese coffee filter (phin) on top of each glass. Remove the top screen and add 2 tablespoons of ground coffee to each filter. Gently tap the filter to level the coffee, then place the screen on top and press down lightly.
3. Brew the coffee
   Pour a small amount of hot water (about 2 tablespoons) into each filter to allow the coffee to bloom for about 30 seconds. Then, fill each filter with the remaining hot water and place the lid on top. The coffee will slowly drip through the filter, which should take about 4-5 minutes.
4. Mix and serve
   Once all the coffee has dripped through, remove the filter. For hot Vietnamese coffee (cà phê sữa nóng), stir well to combine the coffee with the condensed milk. For iced Vietnamese coffee, add ice cubes to the glass and stir thoroughly to mix the coffee with the condensed milk and to cool it down quickly.
5. Add finishing touches
   If using vanilla extract, add a few drops to each glass and stir again. This adds a subtle aromatic dimension to the coffee that complements the sweetness of the condensed milk.