Affogato
A scoop of vanilla gelato drowned in a shot of hot espresso.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 80 ml Espresso
- 200 ml Heavy cream (optional)
- 30 g Sugar (optional)
Method
- Chill two small glasses or coupes in the freezer so the cold cream and ice cream hold their shape.
- Whip the cream with the sugar in a bowl until it thickens to soft, billowy mounds that just hold their shape when the whisk is lifted.
- Brew a fresh, strong shot of hot espresso for each serving.
- Spoon the whipped cream into the chilled glasses.
- Pour the hot espresso over the cold cream at the table so it melts on contact, and serve immediately.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Affogato
Affogato is Italy's most elegant sleight of hand: technically a dessert, arguably a coffee, and ready in the time it takes to pull a shot of espresso. The name means "drowned," and that is exactly the drama of it — a cold scoop is submerged under hot, bitter espresso so the two meet at the table rather than in the kitchen. It belongs to the same after-dinner tradition as the digestivo, a small jolt to close a meal, and it turns up in gelaterie and trattorie across the country as the answer when you want coffee and something sweet in a single glass.
What makes affogato worth the two-minute effort is the temperature contrast and the way the pour transforms it in real time. This version leans on softly whipped, lightly sweetened cream rather than a firm gelato, so the espresso doesn't just melt a scoop but marbles into billowy folds, thinning the coffee's edge into something silky and just barely sweet. Chilling the glasses first keeps the cold side holding its shape a beat longer against the heat, which is the whole point — you want the melt to happen in your spoon, not before you've sat down. Serve it the instant the espresso hits, ideally to finish a dinner or alongside a plate of biscotti for dunking.
Affogato: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Affogato?
One serving of Affogato has about 343 calories, with 2g of protein, 4g of carbs, 36g of fat and 0g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Affogato gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Affogato has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Affogato dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Heavy cream. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Affogato?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out heavy cream, sugar — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Affogato make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.