What is an Affogato?

Affogato is a dessert made by pouring a shot of espresso over ice cream or gelato. It originated in Italy, home of the espresso, but has since become a popular addition to cafe menus worldwide.

It’s one of the simplest coffee desserts you can make at home, with just two ingredients. Here’s everything you need to know about the humble but delicious affogato.

Where does affogato come from?

Affogato comes from Italy, but the exact origins are unknown. The inclusion of espresso means that it was created sometime after the invention of the espresso machine. Still, people haven’t heard of it until the 1990s (1). 

An affogato (pronounced ah-faw-gah-toh) is simply a scoop of gelato with a shot of espresso poured over it. 

The most traditional recipe uses fior di latte ice cream, milk-flavoured ice cream made without eggs, but vanilla gelato or ice cream is now more common.

How do you prepare an affogato?

Preparing an affogato is incredibly quick and easy and only requires two ingredients.

This is the most basic recipe, but there are countless variations. You could add flavour to the coffee or change the flavour of the ice cream. You can also add liqueurs such as rum to the coffee, or add toppings such as whipped cream, berries, or crumbled biscotti. 

Do you drink or eat affogato?

You should eat an affogato rather than drink it, but you’ll find that you have to do a bit of both. If you’re wondering exactly how to eat affogato, start with a spoon, scooping up the ice cream with a little bit of espresso so that you can enjoy the combination of ingredients.

The idea is to finish the affogato before the ice cream melts, but if you end up with a mix of espresso and melted ice cream at the end, you can sip this like a drink. Affogato espresso is usually considered a coffee dessert, like cold brew coffee popsicles, but in some cafes it will show up on the list of coffee drinks.

Does affogato have caffeine?

Yes, affogato has caffeine, but the exact amount will depend on your recipe and coffee type. Affogato made with a single shot of espresso contains 70-80mg of caffeine, but if you use a double shot, the caffeine content will be 140-160mg. For a low-caffeine option, you could make affogato with decaf espresso. A decaf affogato contains 3-16mg of caffeine.

Does affogato have milk?

Yes, affogato contains milk as part of the vanilla ice cream. If you’re trying to avoid milk, you can make an affogato with non-dairy ice cream made from ingredients such as coconut milk, almond milk, or soy milk. Alternatively, check out the Home Grounds list of iced coffee recipes for options that don’t contain milk, cream, or ice cream.