Whipped coffee, popularly known as dalgona coffee, has been an internet sensation that is unlikely to fizzle out soon. Making whipped coffee involves adding a fluffy foam of coffee and sugar over iced milk.
A classic whipped coffee is made with instant coffee. This post details how to make creamy and mouth-watering whipped coffee without instant coffee.
Can you make whipped coffee with regular coffee?
Yes, you can make whipped coffee with regular coffee by evaporating most of the regular coffee until a concentrated and syrupy amount is left. Add sugar and whip the mixture. Expect the process to take up to 4-5 times the amount of time it takes when using instant coffee due to the lengthy evaporation process.
Jump to RecipeWhy Instant Coffee Whips Easily
Instant coffee foams easily and that’s why it’s the easiest way to make whipped coffee. You simply add the instant coffee granules to equal parts of warm water and equal parts of sugar and whisk or blend the mixture to form a fluffy foam that you add to iced milk.
Trying to follow exactly similar steps with regular coffee, ends up in disappointment as the mixture does not foam. See our special tips on how to make whipped coffee with regular coffee
Various arguments have been advanced as to why instant coffee foams and regular coffee does not. The previous theory that instant coffee contains a thickener such as xantham gum has since been discounted as there is no evidence of the same. In fact, no thickener or stabilizer is listed as part of instant coffee ingredients.
The fact of the matter is the oils in coffee are natural surfactants and a study has proven their suitability as a natural alternative to other surfactants. If all coffees including decaf have natural surfactants, why does instant coffee whip easily?
A more plausible argument is that instant coffee has more surfactants per gram than regular coffee. Instant coffee is much stronger than regular coffee and is highly soluble.
When you dissolve equal parts of instant coffee in equal parts of water, the concentration of the surfactants in coffee is very high and the surfactants are able to form a bubble barrier around the pockets of air. This barrier effectively traps the air.
To achieve the same level of surfactant concentration with regular coffee, you have to use a few cups and evaporate most of it or nearly all of it.
Sugar is not the reason for the foam but it adds to the stability of the foam as it is hygroscopic. Without sugar or a similar sweetener, the foam tends to melt rather fast.
How to Make Whipped Coffee with Regular Coffee
What You Need: A coffee maker, a mixer, glass bowl, glass cup, a stove, saucepan
Ingredients:
- 6oz milk
- 4 ice cubes
- 4 tablespoons of sugar
- Ground coffee
1. Brew Coffee
Brew three cups of coffee using a coffee maker of your choice. When using a drip coffee machine, brew the smallest cup sizes as will eventually evaporate the coffee. Add the coffee to a large saucepan.
2. Heat the Coffee
Add sugar and stir. Place the saucepan on a stove and turn the heat to medium. Do not cover the saucepan to quicken the evaporation. Continue heating for about 15-25 minutes until most of the coffee has evaporated and bubbles are forming on the saucepan. The coffee is now syrupy and thick
Turn the stove off.
3. Whip
Pour the coffee into a glass bowl and whip it. Use a hand whisk or a blender if you do not have a mixer. Continue whipping until the foam is fluffy.
4. Iced Milk
Pour the milk into a glass cup and add some ice cubes.
5. Top with Foam
Use a spoon to add the foamed coffee to the milk. The foam will float at the top. Stir before drinking.
Concerns about Boiling and Evaporating Regular Coffee to Make Whipped (Dalgona) Coffee
Boiling coffee, especially for long periods of time not only evaporates water but also some of the volatile aromatics and flavors in coffee. Consequently, some coffee lovers are against this method of making whipped coffee.
On the flip side, instant coffee is not exactly good quality coffee so touché. Most coffee experts won’t even touch it.
The bottom line is whipped coffee is not relished for its quality but rather for its fluffy foam and sweet flavor.
Can You Make Whipped Coffee with Espresso?
Yes, you can add sugar to espresso and whip it before adding it to milk with ice cubes. Although espresso makes delicious whipped coffee, its foam is not as fluffy as what you get from instant coffee. The process is much faster than using regular coffee.
How to Make Whipped Coffee with Espresso
Equipment: Espresso maker, a glass bowl, a mixer, glass cup, spoon
Ingredients:
- Ground coffee
- Milk
- Sugar
- Pull espresso and add it to a glass bowl
- Add two tablespoons of sugar to the espresso
- Use a mixer to whip the espresso
- Add ice cubes to a glass and pour milk up to 3/4 of the glass
- Scoop the foam with a spoon and add it to the milk. Mix to drink.
How to Drink Whipped Coffee
Whipped coffee is a cold drink. Although the foam is warm, iced milk constitutes the largest part of the drink.
The best way to drink whipped (dalgona) coffee is using a straw. Be sure to stir the drink to mix the foam into the iced milk. The foam contains coffee and sugar so you want to incorporate these flavors into the milk before drinking.
If you want some “moustachy” foam on your lips, you can drink whipped coffee from the cup without a straw.
How To Make Whipped Coffee With Regular Coffee? (Without Instant Coffee)
Course: DrinksCuisine: ContemporaryDifficulty: Medium1
servings5
minutes25
minutes314
kcal30
minutesThis recipe makes a much richer and fresher whipped coffee. Your regular coffee is versatile and you can use it to make your favorite whipped coffee. So you do not have to spend on instant coffee.
Ingredients
6oz milk
Ground coffee to make 3 cups of coffee
4 tablespoons of sugar
4 ice cubes
Directions
- Brew. Make three cups of coffee using a brewer of your choice
- Sugar. Add four tablespoons of sugar to the coffee
- Evaporate. Pour the coffee into a saucepan and place it on a stove. Turn the heat to medium and continue heating to evaporate most of the water. It will take 15-30 minutes to form a thick syrupy liquid with bubbles all over the saucepan. Remove the saucepan to prevent crystallizing the sugar and turn the heat off.
- Whip. Add the coffee to a blender or a bowl and whip it to make a fluffy foam
- Iced Milk. Pour milk into a glass and add ice
- Top. Use a spoon to scoop the foam and add it to the iced milk
- Stir to drink
Notes
- You do not have to brew large cup sizes of coffee as you will eventually evaporate it. 5oz or the smallest cup size on your drip coffee maker works fine.
- Avoid leaving the coffee unattended when evaporating it as the sugar may crystallize and you would have to brew fresh coffee to repeat the process.
- You can replace the sugar with a healthier substitute such as natural honey or pure maple syrup. For a creamier foam, you can use less sugar to the coffee before boiling and add one teaspoon of sweetened condensed milk when whipping. Alternatively, can add 1-2 teaspoons of sweet condensed milk to the drink before or after topping with foam. Be sure to stir.
- The coffee is highly caffeinated so you may want to go slow on caffeine for the rest of the day to avoid overshooting your intake. Drinking whipped coffee is likely a bad idea in the evening or at night unless you plan to stay awake.
Wrap Up
Making whipped coffee with instant coffee remains the fastest way to do it. Whipped coffee with espresso comes close in terms of time but the foam is not as thick and fluffy as with instant coffee.
Making whipped coffee with regular takes a bit of time but yields a foam that is nearly as good as when using instant coffee. Using regular coffee is an alternative way of making whipped coffee without instant coffee.
FAQs about Making Whipped Coffee Without Instant Coffee
Can You Store Whipped Coffee?
Yes, the fluffy whipped coffee without milk can last up to one week in a closed container in the fridge. When you are ready to use it, simply whip it again to improve the foam.
However, whipped coffee that is already mixed with milk tends to melt within hours so you may want to drink it within a few hours.
