If you’re anything like me and love Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk (cà phê sữa), and you also happen to be a fan of homemade ice cream, then you’re in for a real treat. This Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream with Rum is everything I adore in a dessert. It’s creamy, bold, indulgent and just a little bit cheeky thanks to the splash of rum.
This flavour was actually inspired by the Vietnamese Coffee Cake I shared not too long ago. Ever since, I’ve been itching to turn that same deep, rich flavour into an ice cream. When I treated myself to a KitchenAid ice cream attachment recently, I knew exactly what my first experiment would be. And I’m thrilled to say, it turned out even better than I expected. The combination of strong coffee, sweet condensed milk and warming rum is truly heavenly.
The foundation of my ice cream recipes
I always follow a tried-and-tested method for making ice cream. It’s the same base for all my flavours because honestly, it just works. Once you’ve nailed the basics, that’s where the creativity comes in – like this Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream with Rum.
Now I know, ice cream isn’t exactly the healthiest food in the world, but I like to live by the 80-20 rule. As long as you eat well and stay active most of the time, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying a treat now and then. Life is too short not to indulge in something you love, right?
The ingredients that make the magic
Start by gently heating double cream, whole milk and light brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl or jug. Once the milk and cream mixture starts to bubble slightly around the edges, remove it from the heat and begin the egg tempering process.
To temper, slowly add ladlefuls of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. Once about a third of the cream has been added, pour the egg-cream mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining liquid. Return the pan to low heat and stir gently until it reaches around 80°C – hot enough to pasteurise but not so hot that the eggs scramble.
Here’s my little trick for achieving that smooth, scoopable texture. At this stage, dissolve a teaspoon of gelatine powder with a bit of water in a blow, then add it to the saucepan and stir well. The gelatine acts as a natural stabiliser and helps keep the ice cream soft and creamy.
Next, pour the custard mixture through a sieve into a large jug to ensure it’s silky smooth. Pop it in the fridge for at least three hours, or overnight if you can wait that long. If I’m in a hurry, I cheat a little by placing it in the freezer for half an hour, then transfer it to the fridge for another hour to speed things up.
Now it’s time to prep the star ingredient – Vietnamese coffee. Brew a strong batch using a traditional phin filter, aiming for about 200ml of coffee. Mix it with 100g of condensed milk then chill it in the fridge as well.
Churn and chill
When both mixtures are completely chilled, it’s time to bring everything together. Pour the custard base into your ice cream machine and start churning. Slowly add in the coffee and condensed milk mixture while the machine runs. After about 20-25 minutes, once the mixture thickens and looks almost ready, add a couple of tablespoons of rum and churn for another 5 minutes.
Transfer your Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream with Rum into a container. Place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight until it’s fully set.
Once ready, it should be soft enough to scoop with ease.
The perfect treat
This Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream with Rum is rich, creamy and loaded with flavour. The strong notes of Vietnamese coffee pair beautifully with the sweet condensed milk, while the rum adds just the right amount of warmth and depth. It’s indulgent, satisfying and completely irresistible.
Whether you’re serving it after dinner or enjoying a sneaky scoop straight from the tub, this ice cream is a must-try for coffee lovers and dessert fans alike.
Craving more?
If you enjoyed this Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream with Rum, don’t forget the check out my Vietnamese Coffee Cake too, it’s another one for the coffee fans. And if you’re as addicted to frozen desserts as I am, stay tuned, more ice cream recipes are coming soon!
Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream with Rum (Kem Cà Phê Sữa Rượu Rum)
Description
This Vietnamese coffee ice cream with rum is the perfect combination of creamy sweetness and bold coffee flavour. Made with double cream, condensed milk, strong Vietnamese coffee and a splash of rum, it’s a rich and indulgent frozen dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for coffee lovers.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Prep your equipment
- Freeze your ice cream bowl at least 24 hours in advance.
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Make the custard base
- In a saucepan, heat the cream, milk and sugar over low heat until steaming and the sugar is dissolved.
- Whisk egg yolks in a separate jug.
- Slowly temper the yolks by whisking in a small amount of the hot cream mixture at a time until using up around a third of the mixture.
- Return everything to the pan and gently heat until it reaches around 80°C, stirring constantly.
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Add gelatine
- Mix one teaspoon of the gelatine powder with a couple of tablespoons of water in a small bowl.
- Stir until dissolved then return it to the pan and mix well.
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Strain and chill
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug.
- Cool, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
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Prepare coffee mixture
- Brew 200ml strong Vietnamese coffee using a phin filter.
- Stir in the condensed milk and chill.
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Churn the ice cream
- Pour the chilled custard into the ice cream maker and begin churning.
- Slowly add the chilled coffee-condensed milk mixture.
- When it thickens, add the rum and churn for another 5 minutes until soft-serve consistency.
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Freeze to set
- Transfer to a container and freeze for 3-4 hours or until set.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 20
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 174.07kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12.92g20%
- Saturated Fat 7.9g40%
- Trans Fat 0.37g
- Cholesterol 81.03mg28%
- Sodium 25.66mg2%
- Potassium 87.32mg3%
- Total Carbohydrate 11.85g4%
- Sugars 11.7g
- Protein 2.5g5%
- Vitamin A 150.45 mcg
- Vitamin C 0.31 mg
- Calcium 63.35 mg
- Iron 0.21 mg
- Vitamin D 0.91 mcg
- Vitamin E 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K 1.08 mcg
- Thiamin 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin 0.13 mg
- Niacin 0.07 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.03 mg
- Folate 8.74 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.21 mcg
- Phosphorus 59.66 mg
- Magnesium 6.19 mg
- Zinc 0.27 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
