Take your coffee to the next level with this irresistible kopi tarik recipe! Learn how to make your own thick and creamy Malaysian pulled coffee with the perfect layer of frothy bubbles on top.
In This Post You’ll Learn
Why We Love This
Kopi tarik is made for coffee lovers who like things a little extra sweet! Serve this rich and creamy coffee drink hot or iced for a delicious pick me up when you need it most.
Use your favourite style of coffee – instant, moka, slow drip all work great. You can even make it with decaf coffee for a cosy evening beverage.
Related: Malaysian 3 Layer Tea / Avocado Smoothie / Milo Dinosaur
How to Get the Perfect Consistency for Kopi Tarik
Here are a few key tips to getting the perfect thick, creamy and frothy consistency for Malaysian pulled coffee:
Ratio – The right ratio of coffee, water, condensed milk and evaporated milk is essential for the perfect thick and creamy pulled coffee. Too much water and the coffee won’t thicken up once pulled. Too much condensed milk and the coffee will be far too sweet.
Mix Well – Make sure all your ingredients are thoroughly mixed before you start pulling. That way you won’t end up with leftover condensed milk clinging to one of your jugs (like we did the first time, whoops!).
Start Small – When pulling the coffee, start with a few small, slow pours to get yourself warmed up, then gradually increase the height. The higher you pour from, the frothier your coffee will be!
Don’t worry if you don’t get it right the first time. Try again, experiment with your technique, and you’ll be enjoying the best homemade kopi tarik in no time!
What is Kopi Tarik?
Kopi tarik, or pulled coffee, is the sister beverage to the ever popular teh tarik (pulled tea).
You’ll find it at mamaks (street stalls), kopitiams (local cafes) and restaurants through many Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.
It’s usually made with a mix of local coffee, condensed milk and evaporated milk that is repeatedly poured between two vessels (jugs, mugs etc) until it’s whipped and frothy.
This special process is called ‘pulling’, and street vendors really are masters at it! It’s so fun to watch as they can pour the coffee from ever increasing heights.
P.S. We think homemade kopi tarik tastes a little like the Indonesian coffee sweets known as Kopiko!
What You’ll Need
- Coffee – We usually use instant coffee mixed with boiling water at home so we can make it extra fast and as strong as we feel like. You can make it at home using your favourite method, just aim for around 1 ½ cups of brewed coffee for two servings.
- Condensed Milk – Usually labelled as sweetened condensed milk. This is the key ingredient which adds sweetness while giving the coffee its classic thick and creamy texture. Sub with coconut condensed milk for a plant based version (though this will obviously add a creamy coconut flavour to the mix).
- Evaporated Milk – The creamy taste and thicker consistency of this milk is perfect for pulled coffee! As with condensed milk, you can use coconut evaporated milk to keep it plant based if you prefer.
How to Make Kopi Tarik
First, gather your ingredients: See recipe card below for measurements.
- Dissolve instant coffee powder in boiling water (or prepare coffee using your favourite alternative method – moka pot, slow drip etc). Add the evaporated milk and condensed milk and mix well.
- Pour the mixture repeatedly between two jugs, starting slow and small, then increasing speed and height until the coffee becomes creamy and frothy.
- Pour into a serving mug and enjoy hot, or pour over ice for a refreshing summer drink.
Wandercook’s Tips
- Coffee – For a deeper authentic flavour, try to source Aceh Gayo Arabica Coffee for your beans. Or use Robusta style coffee for a flavour similar to Vietnamese iced coffee.
- Strength – Feel free to add more or less coffee, or more or less condensed milk, to adjust the strength and sweetness to your taste.
- Pulling – Carefully increase the height as you pour the tea between the two jugs. This will help your aim get better as you go, but also help the coffee become more and more frothy.
- Hot Cups – Before you prepare your kopi tarik, you can carefully swish boiling water into your serving cups, swirl a few times to warm them through, then drain. This will keep your coffee nice and hot!
FAQs
Pulling or pouring the coffee between two jugs is the authentic way to get that extra frothy kopi tarik experience. If you’re scared of making a mess, why not practise with water first until you get the hang of it, or go outside and practise over grass or an otherwise easy to clean surface.
If you’re still unsure about trying the traditional pulling method, you can get a similar frothy effect with a handheld milk frother or the steam wand on a coffee machine.
Variations
- Serve Iced – For a refreshing summer alternative, serve over ice.
- Milk Coffee Milo – Add milo powder to your coffee before pulling, or serve with undissolved milo powder on top, just like a milo dinosaur!
- Other Pulled Drinks – Can’t get enough of creamy frothy drinks? Why not try the pulling method with Thai pink milk, matcha latte or hojicha latte instead!
Try these amazing recipes next:
★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star rating below!
Equipment
- 2 Small pouring jugs
Ingredients
- 3 tsp instant coffee
- 1.5 cups boiling water
- 4 tbsp evaporated milk
- 4 tbsp condensed milk
Instructions
- Dissolve instant coffee powder in boiling water (or prepare coffee using your favourite alternative method – moka pot, slow drip etc). Add the evaporated milk and condensed milk and mix well.3 tsp instant coffee, 1.5 cups boiling water, 4 tbsp evaporated milk, 4 tbsp condensed milk
- Pour the mixture repeatedly between two jugs, starting slow and small, then increasing speed and height until the coffee becomes creamy and frothy.
- Pour into a serving mug and enjoy hot, or pour over ice for a refreshing summer drink.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Coffee – For a deeper authentic flavour, try to source Aceh Gayo Arabica Coffee for your beans. Or use Robusta style coffee for a flavour similar to Vietnamese iced coffee.
- Strength – Feel free to add more or less coffee, or more or less condensed milk, to adjust the strength and sweetness to your taste.
- Pulling – Carefully increase the height as you pour the tea between the two jugs. This will help your aim get better as you go, but also help the coffee become more and more frothy.
- Hot Cups – Before you prepare your kopi tarik, you can carefully swish boiling water into your serving cups, swirl a few times to warm them through, then drain. This will keep your coffee nice and hot!
Nutrition
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