Make Dalgona coffee yourself without instant coffee

Ddalgona coffee (foam coffee) is a South Korean cold coffee specialty that went viral worldwide during the summer of 2020 thanks to TikTok and Instagram. Internationally, it is called Dalgona Coffee. Put simply, it is the reverse version of a cappuccino. With Dalgona coffee, the milk is poured into the glass first and then covered with a sweet, fluffy coffee cream.

The recipe for the coffee cream is based on instant coffee. As you can imagine, we didn't have to think long about what we needed to change in the recipe. We never use instant coffee in our cups. There are always people on the internet who claim that a Dalgona only works with instant coffee. That's not true! We have tested it with our own coffees and are absolutely delighted. And of course we'll tell you here how you can easily prepare the trendy drink without instant coffee.

Dalgona Coffee - the viral summer hit

The equipment

What we can really recommend for preparing a Dalgona Coffee is an electric mixer. Whether it's a food processor with a whisk, a hand mixer or a milk frother, it doesn't matter. It also works with a classic whisk. But: It takes ages to thicken. Our arms almost fell off at the end. Of course, you also need a suitable bowl to whip the coffee cream. To make the coffee, you need a coffee or espresso machine and a way of making ice cubes. Small glasses are the right choice for serving Dalgona Coffee. Small cupping glasses, for example. They are the right size, are simple and do not distract from the incredibly good appearance of a Dalgona. A small spoon and, if you like, a straw. Then you're ready for your first Dalgona.

• Dalgona coffee recipe
  
• Ingredients for 2 Dalgona
• 4-6 ice cubes
• 60 ml freshly brewed espresso or strong, hot coffee
• 60 g sugar
• 300 ml milk or plant milk
• Add liqueur, syrup, cinnamon, chocolate or cocoa according to taste

Our tips for the ingredients: We prefer to use our fruity coffee for Dalgona Coffee, the Natural Ethiopia. Due to the high sugar content, the coffee flavor can be more intense. We use unrefined cane sugar for the sugar. These are available in different varieties, although the taste and color are very different. Some unrefined cane sugars even taste a little spicy, while others conjure up a caramel-like flavor in the drink. MauiSU's unrefined cane sugar varieties range from very light to extremely dark and are our favorite when it comes to sweetening.

Particularly low-acid coffee such as our Monsooned Malabar based on 100% Malabar Arabica coffee beans is also ideal for a Dalgona.

Preparation

A Dalgona Coffee is super quick and easy to make and requires very little preparation. The only thing you should do is make the ice cubes the day before. Ideally, you should make lots of them. Because the addictive potential of this summer drink is extremely high.

Preparation in 3 steps

1. preparation of the coffee cream

Whisk the hot espresso or coffee with the sugar using a mixer until a creamy, somewhat viscous mixture has formed. This requires patience, as it can take several minutes. Without instant coffee, the coffee cream may not be quite as firm, but it tastes much better.

Our tips: Prepare the coffee cream and chill it. This will make the cream a little firmer and you can also prepare larger quantities (keeping the mixing ratio 1:1 sugar/espresso). If you want the cream to be even firmer, you can either use more sugar or add cream.

2. pour in ice cubes and milk

Now place the ice cubes in a glass and pour in the milk of your choice.

3. fill up with coffee cream

Finally, simply spoon the coffee cream on top and serve with a small spoon.

Voilá - your perfect Dalgona coffee

and now just enjoy!

Bonus topping

If you want to top the Dalgona Coffee even further, you have several options. For example, you can add a syrup of your choice to the milk. You can also add a dash of rum, amaretto or other liqueurs. You can spice up the coffee cream with spices. Cinnamon and cocoa powder are particularly suitable here. Both can of course also be added to the top of the coffee cream as decoration. If the minimalist look of a Dalgona Coffee is not enough for you, you can give free rein to your creativity with the topping. Sprinkles, chocolate or coconut flakes, powdered sugar - there are no limits.

Our top favorite for pimping Dalgona Coffee is vanilla ice cream. Simply leave out the milk, put a large scoop of ice cream in the glass and top it off with the coffee cream. This is absolutely our summer drink of 2021.
Alternatively, you can of course make your own iced coffee with our tips. make your own iced coffee.

How do you drink a Dalgona?

As with latte macchiato, this is and remains a matter of taste. Those who are totally into sweets and coffee will certainly enjoy spooning Dalgona Coffee. For those who prefer a mild coffee flavor and are not so sweet on the go, it is better to stir the Dalgona Coffee before enjoying it. One thing is clear from our point of view: it should be seen as a dessert with an extremely high addictive factor.

Vegan and sugar-free Dalgona coffee

A vegan and sugar-free Dalgona Coffee with almond milk and birch sugar (xylitol) is very tasty. An almond-oat drink or your favorite plant-based alternative is also very suitable for vegan Dalgona Coffee.

Dalgona cocoa: the trendy drink with cocoa foam

There are many recipes and variations on the internet. The Dalgona cocoa variant is particularly delicious: here, cocoa powder is used instead of instant coffee (or espresso in our case). To do this, mix sugar, cocoa and hot water. As soon as it has cooled down, whip it with whipped cream until it is nice and thick. Then add ice cubes and milk to the glass as usual and top up with the chocolate foam. Garnish the Dalgona cocoa with chocolate shavings.

Quick guide

Our purchase recommendation for Dalgona coffee