What is Dalgona coffee? The frothy quarantine caffeine fix for you to try at home

The cafe-style drink is super easy to make, and we bet you have all the ingredients at home to try it

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  Step 1: Add equal part instant coffee, sugar and hot water to a mixing bowl.

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  Step 2: Start whisking the thick coffee mixture.

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  The coffee froth will need to be mixed at a high speed for around 15 minutes.

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  As more air is whisked in, the mixture will get lighter and lighter.

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  When the mixture is a light, almost milky, colour it is ready.

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  Step 3: Prepare glasses, or mugs, with ice and the milk of your choice.

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  Step 4: Then spoon the coffee mixture on top of the milk to serve.

If one thing is for certain in these uncertain times, many people need coffee (or at least sincerely feel they need it).

Since a huge chunk of the world has been implored to stay at home, the bulk of the caffeine dependent among us have had to get creative with our coffee at home, as popping to Starbucks, Costa or Caribou is no longer an option for many.

Enter Dalgona coffee, a DIY South Korean coffee trend, which has been popularised by video app, TikTok.

Elevating your usual morning cup of Joe, a Dalgona coffee is a thick, creamy, frothy iced latte. It is particularly photogenic because the thick caffeinated mixture is separated from the chilled milk to serve.

How do you make Dalgona coffee?

It is pretty easy to make, and we can almost guarantee that you'll have the five ingredients you need to make it in the house:

1. 2 tbsp instant coffee
2. 2 tbsp sugar
3. 2 tbsp hot water
4. 500ml milk
5. Ice

When it comes to equipment, a hand or stand mixer is best, but it can also achieved with a regular whisk.

To make the drink, simply combine the equal parts of instant coffee, sugar and hot water, then whisk. The above quantities will be enough for two coffees.

Click though the gallery above for a picture step-by-step.

Dalgona coffees can be made at home with just instant coffee, sugar, ice, milk and a whisk. Farah Andrews / The National

The whisking will take the mixture from a dark coffee colour, to a significantly lighter latte brown. It took around 15 minutes to achieve with a stand mixer.

Note: if you use a stand mixer, you will need to double the ingredients for it to mix properly.

You're then ready to serve. Pop a few ice cubes in a glass, which should ideally be transparent for ultimate Instagram props – you need to show off that colour split, after all. Then scoop a couple of spoonfuls of the coffee on top of the milk, take all the necessary photos, give it a stir and you're ready to drink.

Popular TikTok coffee craze, a Dalgona coffee. Farah Andrews / The National

If you don't have a particularly sweet tooth, don't be put off by the tablespoonfuls of sugar. The coffee mixture goes a long way and the end result isn't overwhelmingly sweet.

Naturally, dairy milk can be swapped out for your choice of vegan or lactose-free alternatives, and decaf instant coffee granules will work every bit as well.

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