I first read about affogato al caffè (or simply affogato) in POLPO: A Venetian Cookbook (of Sorts) by Russell Norman. Norman writes “I have put this brilliant concoction first for good reason; it is a sensation. Really. Don’t bother with the rest of this section, in fact. This is a simple dessert, if you can call it that, works every time for me.”
Why? At times the simple route is really the best. Affogato has two to three ingredients depending on your taste. Whenever you’re using so few ingredients, it’s important that they are high quality.
Start with a good vanilla gelato (we use Talenti’s Madagascan Vanilla Bean Gelato) or ice cream. I like to prep this part ahead of time to ensure that the gelato or ice cream is really cold. Place two scoops into a glass or ceramic dish or short drinking glass. Cover with plastic wrap and place back in the freezer. This step can be done a few hours before serving or the night before. While vanilla is traditional, you can experiment with other flavors that pair well with coffee.
Just before serving, prepare the espresso. You need about an ounce per serving. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but it is meant to be hot when you pour it over the gelato or ice cream.
We have a Nespresso CitiZ Espresso Machine by De’Longhi that we got at Williams-Sonoma which makes perfect shots of espresso using Nespresso pods. Any method you use to make espresso will work for this recipe. Caffeine at any time of the day isn’t good for me and especially at dessert, so I always have my affogato made with decaffeinated espresso. The beauty of one serving pods is that it’s easy to tailor the preferred espresso to the person.
Want to make this dessert even better? Add a splash of liqueur such as Amaretto, Frangelico or Nocello. Given this is an Italian dessert, any Italian liqueur that pairs well with coffee will do but you can also try rum or Kahlúa.
Top it off with a chocolate espresso bean or a shaving of chocolate. Enjoy this gelato or ice cream as it ‘drowns’ in espresso. ‘Affogato’ means ‘drowned’ in Italian.
| Affogato Al Caffè | Print |
- 2 scoops good quality vanilla gelato or ice cream
- 1 shot espresso (~ 1 ounce)
- 1 splash liqueur (such as Amaretto, Frangelico or Nocello) (optional)
- A few hours prior to serving (or the night before), scoop gelato or ice cream into a glass or ceramic dish or drinking glass. Cover in plastic wrap and place back in the freezer. (You can skip this step if you don’t have time.)
- Just before serving, using your desired brewing method, brew 1 shot of espresso.
- Pour the hot brewed espresso over the gelato or ice cream.
- Add a splash of liqueur (anything that pairs well with coffee) (optional).
- Garnish with a chocolate covered espresso bean or chocolate shavings.
- Serve immediately.
Source: Adapted from Russel Norman’s POLPO: A Venetian Cookbook (of Sorts) (2012)
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