Espresso Affogato
What is espresso affogato?
Affogato is espresso over ice cream. This Italian coffee dessert is called in Italy ‘afogato al cafe’, which means ‘drowned’.
How to make espresso affogato at home?
Affogato recipe
- Pull a shot of espresso (with a 2:1 water to coffee ratio)
- Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a cold glass or cup
- Pour the espresso over the ice cream
- Optional: decorate with chocolate, syrup, chopped nuts or a cherry
Another way of making affogato is to pull an espresso to a cold cup and add a scoop of ice cream after that. Either way will work and is equally easy.
Tip: put the glass in the freezer before serving
Here is a short video showing how to make affogato:
Affogato variations
The first thing which comes to mind when thinking about affogato variations is changing the amount of espresso and this way changing its intensity. The second, also very obvious, is using different flavours of ice cream.
What is the best ice cream for affogato?
Vanilla ice cream is the best for espresso affogato, but other flavours go well with it as well. Ice cream flavours which you can use for affogato include:
- Caramel
- Chocolate
- Black cherry
- Bread and butter
- Hazelnut
Tip: always use good quality creamy ice cream
What can you add to affogto?
You can also add other delicious stuff to enrich your espresso affogato dessert. Here are some ideas:
- Syrups
- Chopped nuts
- Berries
- Alcohol (Amaretto, Baileys, whiskey)
- Serve it with biscuits or chocolate
Can you use instant coffee to make affogato?
Yes! It will work perfectly well, just make a strong espresso style coffee.
Espresso vs espresso affogato
What is the difference between espresso and espresso affogato?
Espresso is a strong black coffee served on its own (or with sugar). Espresso affogato is an espresso served with ice cream. The difference is in serving it with ice cream.
Is affogato a drink or a dessert?
Affogato is considered a dessert.
How do you eat affogato?
You can eat affogato with a small spoon. The best way to do it is to take a bit of ice cream and a bit of coffee together, so all the flavours blend nicely together.
Final note
Espresso affogato is a lovely, refreshing summetime desert your guests or your family will enjoy on a hot day after lunch or dinner. It’s easy and quick to make while it looks very impressove, so it’s can be a great entertainer at any party!
What’s you favourite ice cream for affogato? What are your favourite toppings for affogato? Share in the comments!
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