title_body: Is there actually any taste (especially flavor) difference between Dalgona method and normal method of making instant cofffee?
upvoted_answer: My first instinct was to answer “no way, that’s instant coffee, where there’s no complex flavor to start with, we can stir the heck out of it and get no change”. On the other side, preparation can make a huge difference sometimes, so just dismissing the method shouldn’t be done either. Of course there’s only one way to tell, which is by doing a side-by-side comparison. And that’s what I did.
  Setup:
  
  Two identical cups with one teaspoon instant coffee (Nestlé Gold decaf) and white sugar each. I used a measuring spoon to make sure that each cup had the same amount of product in it.
  To one I added one teaspoon of milk and one teaspoon of water, both hot, then manually whisked until a thick and somewhat stable foam formed.
  
  On previous occasions I used an immersion blender with a whipping disc and could make a stiffer foam. But with the comparatively small amount, that wasn’t an option. Plus the linked video also whisks by hand.
  I then poured hot milk and hot water into both cups, using a kitchen scale to ensure that both cups held the same amount and the same ratio.
  Initially the whipped cup had a foamy layer that looked good and gave a slightly different mouthfeel. (First taste test.)
  
  However, the foam started collapsing almost immediately, and about two minutes later, there wasn’t much left. I gently pushed it to one side to show the thickness of the layer.
  
  I enlisted the help of a family member and did a blind taste test.
  And here are the results:
  Without the foam, there’s no taste difference whatsoever between the two methods.
  Frankly, for a plain cup of instant coffee, I wouldn’t bother with all that stirring and whipping.