Introduction
We always feel like we have found the one in our search for better and more exotic coffee beverages. That one coffee that feels like it can be your favorite from now on, your specialty even, the kind of beverage you show off to friends and family. Well, here we go again- this time with Thai iced coffee.
The premise of iced coffee is fairly simple: you get brewed coffee, and you pop a few ice cubes in it. Easy peasy.
But you already suspect that no good coffee drink can be that simple. And of course, it isn’t. You have to know how much coffee to pour, how many ice cubes it’s okay to use… and in the case of Thai iced coffee, we’ll be adding just one single extra ingredient other than coffee and ice. And it is with just one ingredient that we take iced coffee to the next level.
That ingredient is condensed milk. Think about it: the taste of milk is already a perfect combination for coffee. Plus, it’s already sweetened. Then you add the thick, creamy texture of condensed milk, and we arrive at the unavoidable conclusion that condensed milk is the ultimate ingredient for coffee. Particularly for iced coffee!
Thai Iced Coffee: origins
The story is very, very similar to that of ancient café au lait. In Europe, once coffee had already become an everyday thing, farmers started to come up with ways to make it last longer. Dairy farmers found a great way to use leftover milk when combining the two. This is how the precursor of the latte, the café au lait, came to be.
Thai farmers, ever more frugal than their European counterparts, would use leftover milk to make condensed milk. This milk would last much longer than milk before spoiling, and it would also be much easier to transport. So it was condensed milk that they used to drink with their coffee.
With the passing of the years, the use of condensed milk spread to all of Thailand. Because their climate is mostly humid and hot, they’ve always preferred chilled coffee- iced coffee, whenever possible.
It is only now thanks to the internet that we’ve discovered this amazing recipe and are able to enjoy the deliciousness of Thai iced coffee.
Here’s a simple recipe for you to make Thai iced coffee at home:
Thai Iced Coffee Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (about 15 ounces) of coffee.
For this, we recommend either a blonde or a medium roast. Dark roasts can sometimes overpower the condensed milk, making it not as enjoyable as it could’ve been. You can use any sort of coffee (even instant) except espresso.
- ¼ cup evaporated milk.
This is easy to get. They come in cans or cartons. It can be found in alternative presentations like light, skimmed, etc. Whichever one works for this recipe.
- 6 tablespoons condensed milk.
We suggest you start with 4 and work your way up, depending on how sweet/creamy you like your coffee. The standard is usually 6, but you can always use more if you feel like it’s not enough.
Instructions:
1. Pour coffee into a tall glass.
2. Pour ice cubes: 4 medium ice cubes should do the trick for this amount of coffee.
3. Slowly pour in the condensed milk. Make sure it’s evenly distributed.
4. Finally, add evaporated milk on top.
Now stir and enjoy! Drink with a straw for a better, less messy experience.
