Affogato – coffee, dessert and your after dinner drink, all rolled into one. This is what you have when you’re “too full for dessert”! Just pour espresso coffee over vanilla gelato or ice cream, enjoy the melty swirls and dig in. The Italians are genius.
Affogato
When was your last affogato? It’s my go-to dessert at restaurants. Even if I claim I’m too full, affogato doesn’t count as it’s practically liquid, right? It’s like having a glass of water! (Yes, really, that’s how my mind works – don’t judge me!😂)
For those new to affogato, it’s a traditional Italian coffee-dessert where hot espresso is poured over gelato or ice cream, with the option of adding a splash of liquor. It’s coffee, dessert, and an after-dinner drink, all rolled into one. The contrast of hot, bitter coffee with cold, creamy ice cream is utter perfection. And the fact that it’s so simple with a bonus DIY fun factor? Brilliant!
Ingredients in Affogato
All you need for affogato is a shot of hot espresso (coffee), ice cream or gelato and optional half a shot of liquor (Frangelico, amaretto, rum). A little more information on each of these below!
Espresso – This is a small concentrated shot of hot coffee. The standard size for a shot of espresso is 30 ml (1 ounce).
It goes without saying that the better your coffee, the better your affogato!
Vanilla gelato or ice cream – Traditionally gelato though ice cream is just as good, in my opinion! More important is the flavour. Vanilla is the classic choice because it pairs so well with coffee. Feel free to experiment!
How much ice cream – Use one large(ish) or two small(ish) scoops for one shot of coffee, for a good balance of the two. Though if using liquor, I lean towards two medium scoops, as pictured.
Liquor (optional) – To roll your after dinner drink into this all-in-one dessert, add half a shot of liquor! Amaretto (almond flavour) and frangelico (hazelnut) are probably the most common. Rum, sambuca and Kahlua are also standard offerings at Italian restaurants, and multiple readers suggested orange liqueurs (such as Grand Marnier and Cointreau). Though really, you can add anything you think/know goes well with coffee!
PS A shot of liquor is 30 ml / 1 ounce so half a shot is 15 ml / 0.5 ounce which is 1 tablespoon. Though nobody will hold you back from dialling the quantity up. 🙂
Optional extras
The traditional affogato is nothing more than espresso, gelato and optional liquor. However, even in restaurants these days there’s all sorts of optional extras. So adapt to your taste and make affogato your own! Here are some suggestions:
Chocolate grated or shaved on the ice cream (I did this)
Biscotti for dunking (I also did this!) – or Italian Almonds cookies (thank you to the reader who suggested this!)
Whipped cream
Melted chocolate – I’d drizzle across the ice cream
Crushed or chopped nuts – pistachio and hazelnuts would be on theme here
I know I’m missing a stack of other ideas – drop suggestions in the comments below so I can come back and add to the list! 🙂
How to make affogato
I need more recipes with so few steps!
Brew hot espresso using your coffee making appliance of choice. That’s 30 ml/1 ounce for a single shot.
Put a scoop or two of ice cream in a glass.
Pour over hot coffee. Enjoy watching the ice cream swirls melting into the hot coffee!
If using liquor, pour that over next. Eat!
PS I used a small beaker to do the pour shot so I could do a neat pour for the photos. I don’t use a beaker in real life!
Serving – for DIY pour
From a practical perspective, as restaurants do, serve the glass with just the ice cream in it and the espresso on the side. So the eater can pour then dig straight into the affogato before the ice cream fully melts.
Oh, and a side of biscotti for dunking wouldn’t go astray either. Recipe coming up soon. Never been fully happy with my biscotti attempts! Need to put some time into it, and it’s currently on my radar.
Share your affogato twists! Do you like yours straight up, classic, just coffee and vanilla gelato? Or are you all about the toppings and getting creative with ice cream flavours?? Don’t let anyone tell you how you should or shouldn’t take your affogato – make it your own! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Affogato
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small(ish) scoops vanilla gelato or ice cream (Note 1)
- 1 shot (30 ml/1 oz) hot espresso coffee (short black) – Note 2
- 1 tbsp frangelico, amaretto or other liquor (optional) – Note 3
Instructions
- Put ice cream in glass suitable for affogato eating (Note 4).
- Place shot of espresso and liquor (if using) on the side.
- Pour the hot espresso then liquor over the ice cream. Enjoy swirls of melty ice cream blending into the coffee. Dig in immediately!
Recipe Notes:
- Biscotti (excellent for dunking)
- Chocolate shavings – use microplane or potato peeler
- Whipped cream
- Melted chocolate – on ice cream
- Nuts – roughly chopped pistacchio and hazelnuts on theme
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Going to town on ice cream garnished with a liver treat and doggie friendly sprinkles (pinched off another doggie treat!).
Gelato is Italian for ice cream
That’s right, but there are some differences between gelato and ice cream, it’s not entirely same thing.
Totally! I love ice cream, I don’t care for gelato!
I always thought they were the same, with just a difference in quality. After reading your comment, I went searching, and confirmed my thoughts. If I made it at home, I’d just call it ice cream…
But they’re not the same! Different quantities of ingredients, different methods and temperature you serve it at. All 3 changes the texture and flavour which is why they’re not the same! From memory, ice cream is served colder than gelato so you need more sugar and flavourings to make it good (cold softens flavour, that’s why fridge cold food is rubbish) and ice cream is made with cream, and gelato more milk, less rich yet better tasting! Plus gelato comes in more flavours and as I say the flavour is bolder and bold = best in my world.
Add fresh mint or fresh lemon grass to the hot espresso and infuse before pouring over the ice cream. hmm….
What a gorgeous idea!
Try a good shot of Grand marnier, you won’t be disappointed.
Yes! Adding to the list immediately 🙂 N x
Nagi, I think you’ve just given us the excuse we needed to buy an espresso machine! 😜
Also, I think your Italian almond biscuits would make a great accompaniment to this, especially if you add a nice splash of amaretto to the Affogato – double almond, yum! 😀
YES! Thank you for the idea, adding it to the list now! N x
Fabulous made with Haagen Dasz pistachio icecream
Grand Marnier! A hint of orange to go with the grated chocolate!
This is what I serve after Christmas lunch alongside treats including hazelnut, coffee and chocolate biscotti.
Last year I made up the coffee and had it ready to go in the fridge because the ice cream always melts too quickly in our summer heat.
Definitely have to have two scoops 😀
Nagi – in the liquor comment you’ve put 15ml as being one tablespoon. In Australia a tablespoon is 20ml I don’t understand why when everywhere else is 15ml. It doesn’t matter in this recipe as the more Frangelico the better 😊😊😊 Love your recipes.
Love your recipes Nagi. Many of them are on standard rotation at your house. We add a dash of maple syrup instead of the alcohol to ours.
I have made affogato with medjool dates for a little extra something. I love your idea of adding nuts as well Nagi.
Really would appreciate a RecipeTin Eats-tested biscotti recipe – have never been happy with the recipes I’ve used either 💕
Oh Nagi – how I love you. And I too have affagato when too full or nothing I fancy for dessert. You made me LOL regarding leftovers. And I going to try liver treat topping for my fur baby Bonnie. Thanks as always.
Arrhhh affogato is definitely my go to… Always make these at home, such a great quick dessert if you have a few family in for dinner.
I’m a cookies and cream ice cream fan … It goes so well with the espresso shot. And I use Baileys Irish Cream as my extra flavour boost… So amazing.
Probably the fastest “dessert” I have ever made with lip licking utterances from guests! Please post a biscotti recipe – I would love to do this again with a good biscotti