Lets make Affogato…a classic Italian dessert that takes literally minutes to make with 2 ingredients. Hot espresso coffee is poured over vanilla gelato creating a delicious, creamy last minute treat to impress. If you love Italian coffee drinks, you must also try my marocchino coffee.
I'm not a huge dessert person in general, but if there's one I can never say no to, it's an Affogato...well that and tiramisu of course. It's always been a personal favorite and since living in Italy for a few years, I love it even more. It's a classic Italian treat that tastes just as good as it looks and will impress everyone. You only need 2 ingredients to make an affogato…coffee and vanilla ice cream, that's it!
The concept of an affogato is basically a hot espresso coffee poured over cold gelato, creating a contrast of texture and temperature that works so well together. This is actually where its name came from, as the word affogato translates to “drowned” in Italian, as the hot coffee is melting the ice cream and technically drowning it. The flavor of strong espresso tastes so good with the sweet vanilla as a match made in heaven!
Whilst the classic affogato is made this way, you can take it up a notch and add a shot of liqueur such as kahlua, amaretto or my personal choice is always frangelico as I love hazelnuts. If you order an affogato at a cafe or gelateria in Italy, they will make it for you, however usually when ordered in a restaurant, they will bring you the gelato and the shot of espresso separately so you can pour it over yourself which is the best part!
Table of Contents
Recipe Highlights
- Quick & Easy: Ready in a few minutes, just make your hot espresso and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Delicious: A cozy mix of hot espresso and cold creamy gelato work so well together
- Versatile: Feel free to switch it up and make different variations such as other flavors of gelato or add a shot of liqueur
What is Affogato??
The word Affogato translates to "drowned" in Italian. It's a classic dessert in Italy which consists of pouring a shot of hot espresso coffee over a scoop of gelato, traditionally vanilla flavor. The name describes how the coffee melts into the cold gelato, drowning it to create a creamy goodness. It’s often enjoyed in cafés and restaurants across Italy, and can also sometimes be served with a splash of liqueur like kahlúa or amaretto for an elegant quick dessert.
Recently, affogato has become more popular thanks to social media. A famous cafe in Florence called Vivoli has been serving affogato for decades in their own unique way, and has now gone viral with people visiting and posting videos, especially on Tiktok.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Espresso coffee is the first key element and the preferred coffee used. If you don't have an espresso machine, you can also use a shot of strong brewed coffee
- Vanilla gelato / ice cream is the neutral base to let the coffee flavor come through as it melts. I recommend using a good quality ice cream for the best experience. You can also substitute for pistachio, chocolate or hazelnut gelato for a richer dessert.
- *Optional liqueur adds a grown up complexity and warmth to the mood of the dessert. Some examples are frangelico, amaretto or kahlúa
How to make Affogato
A classic dessert for a reason, affogato is the perfect mix of hot espresso and cold gelato for a dessert that is effortless. Follow my simple steps below
Step 1: Chill your serving glass in the freezer, then make a shot of espresso
Step 2: Add two scoops of ice cream or gelato to the chilled glass
Step 3: Pour the hot espresso over the ice cream, also add liqueur if using
Step 4: Serve right away with a teaspoon and biscotti
Tips and Tricks
- Place your serving cups in the freezer to chill them before serving, especially for parties or events
- Always use very cold gelato straight from the freezer so it doesn’t melt too fast when the hot espresso hits it
- No stress if you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use strong brewed coffee instead
- Serve immediately with a small spoon. I like serving the components separately so guests can pour the coffee over the gelato themselves, to watch the melting of the gelato and enjoy it before it melts
Storage Instructions
- Affogato doesn't store well. Enjoy it immediately as the hot coffee will quickly melt the gelato
- It only takes minutes to make so best to assemble fresh when ready to enjoy
Serving Suggestions
I love serving affogato in a chilled glass with the espresso on the side to pour over at the table alongside Italian biscotti or savoiardi biscuits, the same ones used to make authentic tiramisu. Dunk the biscuits and enjoy with a spoon...yum! You can also top the affogato with crushed biscotti, chocolate shards, or broken cannoli shells which are also great for dipping into my cannoli dip. Other variations include a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce.
Affogato is also popularly enjoyed with a shot of liqueur poured into it, such as amaretto or kahlua. Or you can finish the night like a true Italian with a chilled shot of limoncello afterwards as a digestive...buonissimo!
FAQs
Traditional affogato uses hot espresso coffee poured over vanilla ice cream. You can add a shot of liqueur if you like for a cheeky adult version
Its served with a teaspoon, so you can spoon and eat the ice cream and coffee together. Note the longer it sits, the more melted the ice cream will become so you can also drink it at the end
Of course! Traditionally, you make it with espresso, but strong brewed coffee works too
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Affogato:
More Italian Desserts
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Affogato (2 Minute Dessert to Impress)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 scoops good quality vanilla gelato / ice cream
- 1 shot espresso coffee
- *Optional 1 shot of liqueur such as frangelico, amaretto or kahlua
- Serve with Italian biscotti or your favorite biscuit
Instructions
- Chill your serving glass in the freezer, especially if serving to guests at a party. In the meantime, make your espresso coffee shot
- Serve 2 scoops of ice cream into the serving glass
- Pour the espresso coffee over the gelato. *Note, if serving with liqueur, also pour this in now
- Serve immediately with a teaspoon alongside Italian biscotti or your favorite biscuit for dunking and enjoy your authentic Affogato!
Renuka says
Easiest and delicious dessert that I have made after a long time. This will be my go-to dessert when summer rolls around.
Ayeh Manfre says
So happy you loved it Renuka! I especially love it over summer too and and time of the year really 🙂