A Vietnamese coffee martini combines vodka, espresso, sweetened condensed milk and Kahlua for a cocktail that delivers both dessert and caffeine in one glass. The drink shares vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso with a classic espresso martini, but the addition of sweetened condensed milk creates a rich, luxurious texture with caramel sweetness and a super-frothy finish.
Vietnamese coffee traditionally uses dark-roasted robusta beans, which taste bolder and more chocolatey than arabica beans. In Vietnam, the grounds drip slowly through a small metal filter called a phin into a glass with sweetened condensed milk at the bottom. Canned milk became the standard because fresh milk was hard to come by and didn't keep well in the heat. The thick, syrup-like milk tastes like melted caramel.
To make the drink, fill a cocktail shaker three-fourths full with ice. Add vodka, espresso, sweetened condensed milk and Kahlua. Shake hard until condensation forms on the outside, 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into a glass and top with coffee beans. Serve immediately while the foam is still fluffy.
Chilling your martini glass or coupe for 10 to 15 minutes before mixing keeps the cocktail colder longer and helps the foam hold its shape. Enjoy the drink right after shaking, since the foam starts to deflate as it sits. For a dairy-free version, swap sweetened condensed coconut milk for regular sweetened condensed milk. Robusta beans have nearly twice the caffeine of arabica beans, so phin-brewed Vietnamese coffee can rival a shot of espresso.