Affogato al Cafe
Affogato al Cafe (Affogato Shot) – Once you taste Affogato al Cafe, you will most certainly feel a buckle in your knees, and pull out your best faux Italian accent while muttering aff-o-gaaaato, gel-aaaa-to, es-preeeeess-o… Merda Santa! (Holy Crud!)
Affogato Recipe
Such a simple treat to cause a dramatic response; that is the Italian way.
You may have heard the old story about Julia Child snubbing Italian food because she didn’t believe it was real cooking. Well, no disrespect to Julia but, the simplicity of most Italian dishes is what draws me to them.
Italian food, as a whole, is about celebrating the ingredients, not the chef.
In theory, a tomato-based dish should uphold the integrity of the tomato, straight off the vine. Not muck it up with dozens of other flavors. Italians honor their food by preparing simple meals.
In making this Italian dessert, I did get a tad “stravagante”… Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I combined the gelato and espresso with a nip of Kahlua (mocha liquor) and dark chocolate shavings. Shameful. *wink*
Such a simple yet “stravagante” treat can: save a dinner party, spur on a love connection, mend a broken heart, keep you up at night to finish a project, or get you in trouble. Be careful with this one. Affogato al Cafe is POWERFUL.
What Ingredients You Will Need
Affogato al Cafe, meaning “drowned in coffee”, is a sweet little treat that packs a punch! It’s an adult ice cream float, of sorts.
The two crucial ingredients are
- Vanilla Gelato
- Espresso
But all the ingredients used to make this recipe are
- Few Scoops of Vanilla Gelato – or the GOOD ice cream
- Espresso – just a few ounces of your favorite hot espresso
- Kahlua liqueur
- Dark Chocolate Shavings
All other variations with espresso beans, chocolate, or amaretto are considered Strav-a-gan-te! (extravagant)
How To Make The Best Affogato Gelato
Grab your favorite glassware and your ingredients.
Place two large scoops of vanilla gelato in a glass.
Make a shot of espresso with your espresso machine. (You can make it ahead and allow it to cool to room temperature if you like.)
Pour the one shot of espresso and half a shot of Kahlua liqueur over the gelato.
Use a veggie peeler to shave chocolate curls over the top.
Perfetto! You have made a perfect Italian dessert.
Get the Complete (Printable) Affogato Gelato Recipe (Affogato Shot) Below. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Toppings Can I Add Other Than Chocolate Shavings?
Other toppings that would make a fabulous garnish for this recipe include biscotti, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, chocolate sauce, and caramel sauce.
Is Affogato Gluten-Free?
Most gelatos tend to be gluten-free, so yes, this recipe is as well.
What Is The Difference Between Espresso and an Affogato coffee?
These are both coffee-based beverages from Italy, but they are in fact not the same. Espresso is a strong brewed coffee drink made by forcing hot water through ground coffee beans under pressure. Affogato is an Italian dessert made by mixing espresso with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato. So what’s the difference? Gelato!
Other Favorite Italian Treats:
- Best Easy Tiramisu Recipe
- Classic Affogato Cake Recipe
- The Ultimate Chocolate Budding Recipe
- Tasty Tiramisu Cookies Recipe
- Italian Butterscotch Pudding Recipe (Budino)
- Creamy Tiramisu Pops (Popsicle Recipe)
- Panforte ~ Joy of Baking
- La Tavola Della Mia Famiglia ~ Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy
Affogato Al Cafe Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 scoops vanilla gelato or GOOD ice cream
- 1 ounce espresso
- 1/2 ounce Kahlua
- 1 teaspoon dark chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Place two large scoops of vanilla gelato in a glass.
- Pour one shot of espresso and half a shot of Kahlua over the gelato.
- Use a veggie peeler to shave chocolate curls over the top. Perfetto!
wowee- nice pics
What a simple and delicious ‘adult ice cream soda’! Your photography is stunning! : )
This is so pretty and looks delicious!! :)
Pictures are amazing! Simple, delicious and Italian….what else is there?
What a perfect summer treat!
beautiful treat looks wonderful
I had a wonderful affogato al cafe at the Museum of Modern Art in New York recently. No kaluha, unfortunately, though otherwise quite similar to this one. I totally agree with you about Italian food: it’s simplicity, refined. Julia Child is great and her recipes can be a lot of fun to make and eat, but she was no friend of time-saving measures, at least in her first book.
I love affogato! The first time I had it was surprisingly in Sydney, Australia. I had no idea it existed, but I was happy I found it. Thanks for the post and recipe! Is perfect way to get my espresso kick in the summer!
hi Sommer
what an outstanding dessert! I love Julia, but you can make me anything Italian any day of the week, that is my food of choice, and your delicious dessert is no exception! Those glasses are magnificent and in this world where most of the dinnerware is made in third world countries its nice to see quality is still available to put on the table. I need a new set of china, I’m going to have to look into Villeroy and Boch!
See you soon!
Dennis
That looks so delicious. I cannot wait to make it. All the ingredients are at home right now just waiting for me. Come over and visit us today. We have a really wonderful sorbet recipe.
What a delicious dessert- I love each and every ingredient. That tells me that it is totally a winner. Yum-buzz
It has been a long, long time since I enjoyed a good affogato! I think I need to correct that asap.
That looks so so yummy!
Hi Sommer, my 6 year old grandson just looked at the last photo and said, that looks delicious and I think that says it all;-)
That sounds way too easy! Looks like I’ll invite people over just so I can make this! Thanks – it is beautiful.
I love Affogota but I have never added the Kahlua…looks amazing I can’t wait to try it! Cheers!
What a pretty and delicious dessert!
Oh my! This sounds so decadent and like a dessert-dream-come-true. Julia Child was missing out!