Affogato Recipe
Affogato Coffee Ice Cream is an easy Italian dessert. It’s so good, you won’t believe it’s only 2 ingredients! Affogato looks and tastes fancy (and you’ll find it in restaurants and cafes in Italy), but it’s the easiest copycat recipe because it takes seconds to make.
What is Affogato?
Affogato means “drowned” in Italian and it is essentially drowning ice cream in coffee. The hot coffee starts to melt the ice cream and forms a thick foam at the top that almost tastes like my Toffee Recipe. My cousin’s wife, Alla shared this delicious idea with me. Watch the video tutorial above and you will see just how easy this is. The coffee in it reminds me of Tiramisu but this is way easier to make.
The Best Ice Cream for Affogato
We make affogato with vanilla bean ice cream because it’s easier to find in the grocery store but it is classically made with vanilla gelato so if you want the authentic Italian experience, pour espresso over vanilla gelato and watch the magic happen.
What Can I Substitute for Espresso?
We love the rich flavor and caramel-colored crema in espresso (and here is the Espresso machine we love) but you can substitute the espresso shots by using:
- Strong brewed coffee (hot)
- Instant Espresso powder in boiling water
Affogato Toppings
There is so much room to experiment with Affogato toppings. You can absolutely serve it with just coffee and ice cream, but if you are feeling adventurous or really want to impress someone, try these:
- Caramel sauce
- Chocolate sauce
- Chocolate shavings from a chocolate bar
- Cocoa powder for dusting
- Grated chocolate espresso beans
- Biscotti or Italian pizzelle cookies, crushed
- Sea salt
- Toasted and chopped hazelnuts or pistachios
- Liquor for adults (Kahlua, Bailey’s or Frangelico)
The Best Flavor Combinations
- Vanilla ice cream, chocolate shavings, espresso
- Vanilla bean ice cream, caramel sauce, roasted chopped pistachios, espresso
- Vanilla bean ice cream, chocolate sauce, sea salt, espresso
How to Make Affogato
This recipe makes 1 affogato dessert. I wrote it out that way intentionally so you can scale up it easily. The ratio is 1 shot (1 oz) of espresso per 1 scoop of ice cream.
- Use an ice cream scooper to add 2 scoops of ice cream to a serving bowl or glass.
- Add desired toppings (see list below).
- Pour over 2 shots of hot espresso or strong brewed coffee and serve right away.
Can Affogato be Made Ahead?
You can scoop the ice cream into glasses and even add toppings ahead, cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Just before serving, remove from the freezer and pour espresso over ice cream. If espresso or coffee are piping hot, pour over the ice cream and not directly over glass so the glass doesn’t break.
Serving the affogato in chilled glasses or bowls is awesome for hot days or if serving outdoors so the ice cream doesn’t melt right away
If you enjoy coffee and ice cream, Affogato will be the dessert of your dreams. Enjoy this, my friends!
Affogato Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Add 2 scoops of ice cream to a serving bowl or glass.
- Add chocolate shavings or other toppings if desired.
- Pour 2 shots of hot espresso or strong brewed coffee over the ice cream and serve right away.
