Italian Affogato Recipe – Ice Cream And Coffee

Name: Italian Affogato Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 scoops vanilla ice cream (high quality); 1 shot espresso; 1 tbsp nut or coffee liqueur ((optional)); dark chocolate (, for grating on top)

By Emily

Jul 18, 2018, Updated Jan 14, 2022

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How to make an Italian Affogato! This is the easiest dessert to whip up when you’re entertaining or want a last-minute sweet treat after dinner. Made with rich vanilla ice cream and espresso coffee, grated dark chocolate, and a cheeky splash of nocino nut liqueur, delicious!

A photo of coffee getting poured over ice cream in a glass

When it comes to Italian desserts this affogato recipe is up there on the top of my list alongside tiramisu and panna cotta!

One of the reasons I love it so much is because it is so incredibly easy to make, I’m talking 5 minutes max and you’re guaranteed to have everything you need in your kitchen! It’s really that easy.

A 5-minute sweet treat made with creamy vanilla ice cream, a strong punch of espresso coffee and a splash of liqueur, omg it’s just incredible! The boozy addition is totally optional but so worth it.

I know what you’re thinking, it’s just going to melt straight away and turn into a warm coffee milkshake type thing but it doesn’t!

You eat the gelato and coffee with a spoon, it’s the perfect mix of hot and cold, bitter and sweet then drink anything that’s left at the bottom. It’s like your after-dinner espresso and dessert all in one!

How to make an Italian Affogato – step by step

Brew an espresso (one per person). Scoop 1-2 scoops of vanilla ice cream into a wide glass or bowl and pour over a shot of espresso (photos 1-3).

Step by step photos for making an affogato dessert

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Pour 1 tablespoon of liqueur (optional) over the ice cream and grate over a little dark chocolate. Grab a spoon and dig in (photos 3 & 4).

Top tips and recipe FAQs

Gelato to espresso ratio – use 1 shot of espresso (max 40ml) to 1-2 scoops of ice cream. Don’t use diluted or watered down coffee it should be short and strong.
Make sure your gelato is ice cold – your gelato or ice cream should be just soft enough to scoop, don’t leave it sitting for too long or it’ll melt when the hot coffee is poured over.
Add liqueur to your affogato (optional) – Adding liqueur to your affogato is an amazing way to take it up a notch. I love to use a nut liqueur such as Nocino (walnut) or Frangelico (hazelnut) but you could also use rum, grappa, Tuaca or even a coffee based liqueur for an extra coffee kick!
Different topping ideas – If you want to add a bit of crunchy texture then chopped hazelnuts or pistachios are delicious on top, you could also sprinkle over some grated chocolate.
The best servings glasses to use – a small drinking glass is best for serving this dessert, it should be just big enough to hold the ice cream.

What’s the best coffee to use?

Use espresso coffee (100% arabica is best) or 3-4 tbsp of strong brewed coffee. To make the coffee use an Italian moka pot or coffee machine.

What does Affogato mean?

Affogato means drowned or poached. For example, poached eggs in Italian is le uova affogate so this dessert is like gelato poached or drowned in warm coffee.

How do you drink an Affogato?

The best way to enjoy an affogato is with a spoon, eat the ice cream first and then drink the coffee along with any melted ice cream.

What’s the best ice cream to use?

Good high-quality vanilla gelato is what’s traditionally used but you can use there are many other flavours that would work; stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate shards), Nutella and pistachio ice cream are other Italian flavours I love to use. Try to go for vanilla, nut or chocolate flavours as fruity flavours wouldn’t taste nice with coffee.

Is it hot or cold?

This dessert is warm it’s a perfect mix of cold gelato and hot coffee, so delicious!

An overhead shot of two affogato desserts in glasses with ice cream cones broken up around them

More delicious desserts you might like

If you’ve tried this Affogato Recipe or any other recipe on the blog please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM & PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

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