Coffee or dessert—why not both at once? With just two ingredients, you can craft a magical after-dinner treat that’s more than the sum of its parts.
Enter the affogato: one part cool, creamy gelato, one part espresso. The name literally means “drowned” in Italian—because that’s what you do to the gelato, dousing it with a steaming-hot, bold espresso shot for a velvety sweet course that creates a lovely play of textures and temperatures.
The coffee gently melts part of the gelato, drowning it in a delectable java pool. Ready to enjoy in minutes, the classic version uses strong espresso and vanilla gelato, but you can experiment with flavors and garnishes to make it your own.
To begin, chill your glass, and keep your gelato as cold as possible. Add one large scoop to each glass.
Make your espresso right before serving, to keep things hot and fresh. We recommend brewing espresso with single-origin beans such as our Mistral, Cubano, and Boreas varieties.
Pour a single shot (one ounce) of hot espresso over each scoop of gelato. Servings should be full enough to ensure that some, but not all, of the frozen gelato melts when hot liquid is poured over it.
Serve and enjoy immediately! These won’t last long.
Try the simple and beloved classic, or switch it up with caramel- or coffee-flavored gelato as your base. Maybe add a splash of chocolate liqueur or bourbon, and a sprinkle of toasted pistachios or amaretti cookies to garnish. Hey, it’s your party.
