Dalgona Coffee Craze: Follow this recipe to make the pillowy drink this week

What is this dalgona coffee that you keep hearing about? A thrill from Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. A pillowy drink that takes over the kitchens from CNET employees. And a cold, whipped coffee drink inspired by a South Korean honeycomb toffee of the same name. However you look at dalgona coffee, the end result is a multilayered drink that is as photogenic as it is tasty. See our gallery below for evidence.

The basic recipe contains only five ingredients ̵

1; instant coffee, sugar, water, milk and ice – and is easy to prepare yourself at home or with your children. The beauty of this drink is that it is open to dozens of variations. Decaf versions don't keep you up all night. Almond milk and coconut sugar work just like the standard dairy and sweetener. Lemon zest and mint can brighten up the milk. You can even add a splash of drink and extra caffeine.

There are just a few things we wouldn't recommend. Cocoa powder does not come in well for instant coffee. If you put the dalgona foam on a hot drink, it will melt. And we don't recommend our colleague's version with bologna.

For more coffee drinks, you can make a cup of drip coffee or the best iced coffee ever
. If you're feeling particularly ambitious, read how to make your favorite Starbucks coffee drinks
home.

How to Make Dalgona Coffee at Home

For the basic recipe for Dalgona coffee you only need :

• 1 tablespoon instant coffee or instant espresso
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• milk (dairy or dairy works just as well here)

Add the instant coffee, sugar and water to a bowl and whisk vigorously (or use an immersion blender if you have one to make it a much easier process) until the mixture becomes super thick – it should have a similar consistency to whipped cream with slightly stiff peaks – and changes a subtle golden brown color.

Read more: The best coffee accessories of 2020

Pour milk into a glass filled with ice cubes, then scoop the pillow-like mixture on the cold milk or mix the two parts together if you are looking for a more latte situation.

You can also dress it up with variations, such as mint in the milk layer, or dalgona coffee foam over another drink – such as iced coffee or cold chocolate – or even sprinkles. It's a fun, airy drink, so have fun with it.

Take a picture (or video the whole thing) and post it online so that you too can join the ever-expanding dalgona coffee community.

Read more : These coffee makers keep the cold brew flowing at home

A version of this story was previously posted on Chowhound .