What is Dalgona coffee? How did it start? And why is it all over social media?

Dalgona coffee, or whipped coffee, took over social media in March 2020.

As quarantine continues, many people have decided to adopt the art of making sourdough or strived for the perfect banana bread recipe. Others were using their kitchen skills to make “Dalgona Coffee”. 

Youtubers began posting tutorials on how to make the drink in January. Meanwhile. people at home were sure to try it out and post it on their Instagram story. Even coffee shops began offering their own version of  the whipped coffee, available for delivery. 

According to a report by The Guardian, “...YouTube views of videos with “Dalgona” in the title increased 5,000%.”

The recipe itself is pretty simple.

All you need is instant coffee, sugar, water and a hand-mixer. If you have the patience and endurance you can try using a whisk.

In a medium bowl combine equal parts sugar, coffee, and water. Using a hand mixer, vigorously whisk until the mixture turns smooth and shiny. Similar to the way meringue forms peaks. Then, continue whisking until it thickens and holds its shape. 

If you’re brave enough to whisk by hand it could take eight to 12 minutes to reach optimal fluffiness. 

Then you just fill a glass with milk and ice and add a dollop of the whipped coffee mixture on top. 

Many people are putting their own twist on the whipped coffee by using ingredients such as matcha or chocolate. Or trying it with plant-based milks such as coconut and macadamia. 

Where does Dalgona coffee come from?

The Dalgona coffee craze started in January when a clip of South Korean actor Jung Il Woo trying whipped coffee in Macau was uploaded to Youtube. Viewers compared the coffee to dalgona candy and thus a storm of whipped coffee exploded on social media.

The origin of the drink is unclear even though most on social media have dubbed it “Dalgona coffee”. Vice even did a deep dive into its history. They found that the Dalgona Coffee has long been known in India and Pakistan. Of course, it went by other names such as "pheta (beaten) coffee," "phenti hui coffee," "phitti hui coffee," "hand-beaten coffee," "Indian cappuccino," among a few other similar variations. The name might be different, but the process stays the same: whip instant coffee, water and sugar until thick and frothy, and then serve with iced milk.

Were you one of the many people to try out the dalgona coffee? Let us know in the comments below!