This trend really took off at the start of quarantine, so I am a few months behind, but here’s the wildcrafted version of that instagram famous whipped coffee drink: the nettle dalgona latte.

Dalgona coffee is a whipped coffee drink that appears to have origins in India, Pakistan, and Macau. It recently got a jolt of popularity when a South Korean actor sampled it in Macau and posted about it with the nickname dalgona, after a similar looking South Korean sponge candy. During that strange window of early quarantine when we were all stuck at home with nothing to do, it made the jump to the US and blew up everyone’s social media feeds.

The original dalgona coffee foam is made with just three ingredients. Instant coffee, water, and sugar are whipped into a foam which is served over hot or cold milk.

The nettle powder does not have the same surfactant qualities that are present in instant coffee, so we have to use an egg white to produce a stable foam. So, pull out your hand mixer and let’s get going.

Nettle powder tastes very similar to matcha, so that is what you should expect. And, if you’re dying to try this and can’t get your hands on any nettles, give matcha a shot. Or if you’re looking for something a little simple, you can find my nettle latte recipe (as well as more information about stinging nettles and making nettle powder) here.

Nettle Dalgona

Ingredients:
1 egg white
1 tbsp fine white sugar
1 tsp nettle powder
1 cup milk

Directions:
Whip the egg white in a medium bowl until it is frothy. Add the sugar and whip until the mixture holds stiff peaks. At this point you can add the nettle powder and whisk to incorporate it. That’s your nettle dalgona.

Serve the foam on a glass of hot or iced milk depending on your preference. I like it iced as a dessert.

Enjoy!