Affogato is a delightful Italian dessert that combines two main ingredients: gelato (or ice cream) and espresso.
Contents
Easy Affogato recipe
Affogato is a classic Italian dessert or drink. It combines the richness of gelato or ice cream with the bold flavor of espresso. Its name means “drowned” in Italian, referring to the act of pouring hot espresso over a scoop of cold gelato. This creates a delightful contrast of temperatures and flavors.
The flavor balances the sweetness of gelato with the bold bitterness of espresso. It creates a luscious blend of tastes and textures. It’s often compared to a coffee float or sundae but with a richer coffee intensity from the concentrated espresso.
This creamy dessert is often served as a simple yet elegant after-dinner treat or as a refreshing pick-me-up during the day. You can serve it with crunchy biscotti, nutty amaretto cookies, or delicate ladyfingers for dipping.
Add crushed waffle cones, stroopwafels, chopped hazelnuts, or pistachios for extra texture and sweetness. Chocolate shavings or whipped cream make the dessert richer.
Here is how to make Affogato:
Classic Affogato
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 1 scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream or gelato or you can try sorbet
- 1 to 2 tbsp of instant coffee powder or instant espresso powder
- 30 ml water
Instructions
Making a hot shot of espresso
- Heat about 1 ounce (30 ml) of water. It's essential to have hot water for the best extraction.
- In a small cup, add the instant coffee. Pour the hot water over the coffee, and stir well until the coffee granules are completely dissolved.
Making Affogato
- Place a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato into a serving dish or a heat-resistant glass.
- As soon as the shot of espresso is ready, pour it over the ice cream. The heat will begin to melt the ice cream, creating a delightful blend of hot and cold.
- Affogato is best enjoyed promptly after assembling to experience the contrast in temperatures and textures. The result should be a creamy, melty, and delicious dessert.
SIMILAR RECIPES
variations
You can create other Affogato variations based on this basic recipe.
- Flavor Twists switch vanilla ice cream to different flavors like chocolate, matcha, hazelnut, salted caramel, or amaretto ice cream.
- Alcoholic Infusions add a splash of liqueur, like amaretto, Baileys, or Kahlúa.
- Frozen Affogato freezes strong brewed coffee into ice cubes and then combines it with ice cream, gelato, or even granita.
- Seasonal combination:
- Summer Version replaces ice cream with a scoop of fruity sorbet
- Winter uses a spiced or gingerbread-flavored ice cream.
- Fall uses pumpkin ice cream and dulce de leche.