Dalgona coffee became a viral sensation for a good reason: it’s relatively simple to make, yet results in a luxurious frothy drink that looks like it could be served in a high-end café.
Understanding the science behind it is as intriguing as the drink itself. While other foams like meringue and whipped cream rely on proteins and fats, dalgona coffee mainly uses melanoidins, a foaming agent produced during the coffee roasting process, as its surfactant.
This is what gives the foam its stability, although it’s not as stable as foam produced with fat or proteins.
That said, let’s get down to how you can make your own dalgona coffee at home:
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup instant coffee granules (1/2 ounce; 14g)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (1 ounce; 30g)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) hot water
- Whole or dairy-free milk, for serving (about 1 cup/237ml per serving)
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the instant coffee granules, granulated sugar, and hot water.
- If you have a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, great; otherwise, a hand mixer or even just a manual whisk will do.
- Whisk the mixture on medium-high speed until it turns pale, and fluffy, and doubles in volume. This usually takes around 7 minutes, although you’ll see it starting to foam at about the 4-minute mark.
- Fill your serving glass about three-quarters full with your choice of milk. Take a spoonful of the fluffy coffee foam and dollop it on top of the milk in the glass.
- Your dalgona coffee is ready to serve. Stir before sipping to combine the foam with the milk for a creamy, luxurious treat.
Remember, the foam can also be made by hand, but it will take longer (around 8 minutes) and may not reach the same voluminous, fluffy texture that an electric mixer achieves.
So there you have it, a sophisticated coffee treat like Pumpkin Spice Latte that you can easily whip up at home. Enjoy your dalgona coffee!
