Cambodian iced coffee tastes very similar to Haagen Dazs coffee ice-cream but it’s creamier. Best part of all, it’s ready in minutes!

Since most of you don’t know me, let me introduce myself. I’m a science education professor at Texas State University and the single mom of three kids, Matthew (22), Timothy (19), and Rebecca (17). Right now, I’m on a Fulbright in Cambodia.

My sister, Joan Hayes, started the blog Chocolate, Chocolate and More back before blogging was a thing. A few days ago, she died suddenly from a heart attack so now I’m blogging on her behalf.

One of the many things my sister and I shared was our love for baking. We grew up in a house where sweets were rarely allowed and our mother couldn’t cook to save her life.

Fortunately for us my best friend was Italian and her family was always cooking. I learned how to cook Italian food first and to this day I’ve never found a restaurant that could match Doris Marsilii’s home cooking.

My best friend, Lisa, loved to experiment with pastries so she taught me how to bake. Lisa and I always dreamed of opening our own coffee shop and in college I even had the idea of combining it with a bookstore (this was before Barnes and Nobles got the idea). Too bad we had no funding. Lisa did go on to be a pastry chef though.

This year I’m in Cambodia working with university faculty on improving science instruction throughout the country. Baking here is a challenge and I’ll be sharing recipes that even work in a third world country. Joan planned to visit me in Cambodia after Christmas and we had planned a number of posts together of easy-to-make Cambodian recipes.

Cambodia was a French colony from 1863-1953 and the French influence is still very evident in Cambodian cuisine. The French brought their love of coffee, pastries and bread to Cambodia and that stuck. Café’s are everywhere in Phnom Penh and according to my coffee-loving friends, the coffee here is amazing.

Every morning here at the Royal University of Phnom Penh we have a mini-staff meeting at one of the food vendors. These little restaurants are all al fresco and we’re very close to the equator here. Since every day is hot and humid (think Houston, Texas without air conditioning), iced drinks are particularly refreshing and the top cold drink on everyone’s list is iced coffee.

Now, I’m not a coffee drinker. I love my morning cuppa (tea) and I never drink coffee in the States. However, I drink Cambodian iced-coffee nearly every morning while I’m here. It’s just that good. Here’s a photo of the $0.50 cent variety at the Royal University (Sorry for the poor quality. I only had my iPhone on me and was rushed before our meeting).

Every coffee shop here has its secret recipe (coffee blend and ratio of coffee to sweetened condensed milk). Some put in more coffee and some put more sweetened condensed milk so change the recipe to fit your tastes. I’ve put the typically sweet ratio in my recipe.

Yield: 1 serving

Cambodian Iced-Coffee

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Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• ¾ cup strong black coffee (dark French roast works well).
• Ice cubes

Instructions

1. Pour ¾ cup coffee into serving glass (lukewarm coffee works best).
2. Mix sweetened condensed milk into coffee to taste.
3. Add ice, and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 124Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 52mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 21gProtein: 3g

Nutrition information is provided as a guide only. Please consult a dietician for specific dietary needs.