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!).
Wonderful recipe
Hi lovely Nagi and the very handsome Dozer, I had a chocolate lab Nagi that i called Tia Maria and she loved her ice cream cones, She had such a soft, silky head and ears that you just couldn;t stop stroking. Tia was called that because i don’t drink and never have, but i felt that was just the right name for her. I don’t have my beautiful baby girl any more and i so look forward to my dose of what your gorgeous dog is up to, he is very much Tia’s twin brother in that she was always after food as well. Thank you for sharing your handsome, beautiful dog with us all. Norah, from Scotland
Love this this dessert year-round with this versions & other variations.
Quick note that correct spelling is sambuca not sambuca.
For us alcohol free folk. I’m thinking a hot caramel or salted caramel would be delicious with the ice cream & coffee. Salted caramel is under Nagi’s Baked Apple Pie Fries with Salted Caramel Dipping Sauce. Leave out the salt for regular caramel.
Mmmmmm yes! What a great idea!! Adding to the list 🙂 N x
Rather than fluffy supermarket ice cream, try the coffee poured over a dense, sea salt caramel swirl gelato – it will blow your mind!!!
YEEEEESSS!
One of those dead simple yet fancy looking dinner party treats (it’s just as good when you’re alone). I’m surprised it wasn’t mentioned that affogato means “drowned.”
Two other favorites are cafe corretto, or “corrected espresso” — your favorite liquor added to your espresso; and rexentin, where you “rinse” your empty espresso cup with a small amount of liquor (I learned this as resinata, but I don’t see that anywhere online so it must be a mistranslation on our part).
Googling right now!
Yum, I make this often especially during the summer, even better with homemade easy ‘sweetened condensed milk ice cream’ or a dollop of whipped cream on top. Def a favourite desert!
Yes! I was thinking of sharing a vanilla sweetened condensed milk ice cream recipe 🙂
Yes, please do! I am already drooling!
Love affogato, thanks Nagi for the reminder. Have you tried a Don Pedro? Essentially a whiskey milkshake, another great desert when your guests are too full for anything more
Just go easy on the whiskey or you’ll have extra house guests.
No I haven’t but I’m googling it right now!
I can’t find the biscotti recipe?
Still working on it! Not happy yet – I feel like I’ve tried dozens over the years but nothing concrete yet! 🙂 N x
The recipe is for the affogato, I think the biscotti is just a prop. But I think she mentions she needs to work on a biscotti recipe 🙂
I have made this myself by putting the espresso in the bottom of a mug, then spooning the ice cream on top. Does it make a difference if you do it the other way around?
It’s just the traditional way I guess! Your way would slow down the ice cream melting – SMART! N x
Yum! My last time having Affogato was now o’clock 2:26am 23/06/23 winding down after doing notes for work and I stumble on you, Nagi tempting me and everyone with your way of making affogato. Well done gorgeous girl!
2.26am?? *She yells*! Did you sleep!!!! N x
I would also try this using coconut ice cream and Kahlua. A very Mexican version.
YUM! I LOVE THAT IDEA!!!
Long time affogato lover here, and half italian/lived in Italy most of my life — my 2 cents is that usually the ice cream used is plain white “fiordilatte” i.e. just cream. I’ve tried it with vanilla but I find the plain cream superior for this combination! Personal choice – like choosing between adding plain cream or vanilla flavored cream to your coffee.
I love that you posted this as one of your recipes. This is something we serve guests after dinner and it’s always a hit. We use a good quality ice cream and Kahlua, a delicious coffee flavored liqueur from Mexico. Dark, rich and so yummy, it complements vanilla ice cream or something with a bit of caramel in just perfectly. And after reading the ideas in everyone’s comments…I’m trying them all. lol
oh my, I am drooling! I will make it this weekend, thank you for the recipe 🙂 I was wondering about Affagato for a while now, ever since my favorite game (Hay Day) added it to one of their farm machines 😀
Affogato is my absolute favourite … down to the Frangelico!
… not all restaurants know what it is though 🙁
I’ve never heard of this before, but it sounds delicious. I bet small marshmallows would be a fun and gooey addition.
YES! What a great idea! N x
Thank you Nagi for your generosity. No one else gives the useful information that you do. Ingredients that can be substituted, reasons why things must be done just so etc. My cooking education was minimal. I do everything from recipes. Thanks again.
What a sweet comment Colleen! I agree 100%. I am a fellow recipe-follower. 🙂
Biscotti!!! Yes please!!! Haven’t found a recipe yet that has knocked my socks off!!!
ME TOO! I feel like I’ve tried dozens over the years!
Hi Nagi, your recipes are so great, as well as your book!
Affogato: I have to tell you about affogato I had at a great Italian restaurant in western Sydney. I dreamt about this affogato afterwards! 😂 I’ve since made it a few times it at home.
It has one scoop vanilla and one of hazelnut gelato. Then you tip a shot of espresso and a shot of frangelico at the table. Served with a biscotti to dunk…omg…!
Hazelnut gelato isn’t easy to find but it makes the difference with frangelico and vanilla ice cream as well…
Best regards
Maxine
Yuuum! Someone else suggested hazelnut gelato too, I haven’t had it before but I think it’s going to be the next one I have! N x
Be still my beating heart… apparently Coles have hazelnut nut gelato! Is 7:30am too early to race down the street and buy some so I can try this?
YUUUUM!!!! I can totally imagine it! N x