Vietnamese Coffee Bread Pudding

Ever since I was a teenager, an Iced Vietnamese Coffee has been one of my favorite ways to splurge. If you’ve never tried Vietnamese Coffee, you might be thinking… What’s the big deal? It’s only coffee. Well… You would be wrong. Vietnamese coffee is not only coffee. It’s intense drip coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk, poured over ice. It’s robust, cloyingly sweet (in a good way) and a caffein-kickin’ sugar-shock to your system. Sigh. Like a twisted relationship, it’s the things I know aren’t good for me (artificial stimulants) that I love so much.

Vietnamese Coffee

As a child I remember regularly sitting in local Vietnamese restaurants, watching the adults order their coffee. Stemmed glasses were brought to the table with a generous inch of creamy sweetened condensed milk at the bottom. Resting over the top of each glass was a small metal filter, dripping thick black liquid onto the white. Once the black and white were of equal proportions, the waiter would come back to the table. Stir the two together. Then pour the creamy liquid over another glass of ice. Watching this process led me to know, I too, would one day be addicted to Vietnamese coffee.

What Is Different About Vietnamese Coffee?

Traditional Vietnamese Coffee is made with 1 part Robusta drip coffee and 1 part sweetened condensed milk. When Robusta coffee is made with a slow-drip filter it is very strong in flavor and very high in caffein. The flavor is a bit bitter, which is why it’s so popular served with sweetened condensed milk. If you do not have a slow drip filter, it’s better to use an equal amount of espresso than to use standard coffee from the pot. Now that I’ve got you worked up over the idea of sipping Vietnamese coffee, let’s add it to things! Today’s Vietnamese Coffee Bread Pudding is the perfect place to showcase that amazing bitter-sweet coffee flavor we love.

I’ve always been a big fan of bread pudding. When it’s baked just right, and the center is moist and custard-like, bread pudding is magic! Several months ago I was making a dish of bread pudding and I ran out of cream. I decided to add a can of sweetened condensed milk from my pantry, and reduced the amount of sugar. The moment I tasted my impromptu bread pudding, I immediately thought… This would be great with coffee in it! So here we are… Vietnamese Coffee Bread Pudding.

If you’ve never tried (or never liked) bread pudding, this is the place to start. It’s crispy on the outside, ultra moist on the inside, and popping with bitter-sweet coffee flavor. I love serving Vietnamese Coffee Bread Pudding warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Or sometimes with a dollop of loose whipped cream. Heaven!

Vietnamese Coffee Bread Pudding Ingredients

Believe it or not, this luxurious recipe calls for only 5 ingredients… And a pinch or two of salt. All you need is…

Espresso – As mentioned, super-strong slow drip coffee is traditional. Yet espresso gives this bred pudding recipe a brilliant flavor. Sweetened condensed milk – The sweetened and flavor the bread pudding. Half & half – For an extra silky texture. Brioche – That soft pillowy bread often used for French toast. Eggs – Essential to any good bread pudding.

How To Make Vietnamese Coffee Bread Pudding

Ready to get started?

Vietnamese Coffee Bread Pudding Q&A

Can I use decaf coffee? Yes, but it won’t taste as good. Just sayin’. Can I use low fat half & half? Yes, but again, it won’t taste as good. Can I make it ahead? Yes but… You can premix the ingredients and place it in the fridge overnight, then bake the next day. However, the bread will disintegrate into the liquid changing the texture. The second option is to bake it, chill it, then rewarm it later. I would definitely go with this method. Although fresh is best! What if my top is browning too fast? This does happen on occasion. If you check the bread pudding and the top is turning dark, place a piece of foil loosely over the top and keep baking. Can I make a gluten free version? If you can buy a good gluten free bread that stands up to moisture… Absolutely!