What does affogato taste like?
Affogato tastes like hot espresso poured over cold vanilla gelato: bitter and sweet, hot and cold, melting into a creamy coffee puddle as you eat.
Affogato
gelato drowned in espresso
Affogato means "drowned" in Italian, and that's the whole recipe: a scoop of vanilla gelato or fior di latte (sweet cream gelato) with a shot of hot espresso poured over it. The espresso is bitter and roasty, the gelato is sweet and creamy, and as they melt together you get a spoonful of coffee ice cream and a little coffee milkshake at the bottom. It's simple, fast and very satisfying, and it's not too heavy for after dinner. Some places add a splash of amaretto or another liqueur.
Where you’ll see it
On Italian restaurant and café dessert menus, served in a small glass or cup, sometimes with the espresso on the side so you pour it yourself. A spiked version may be listed.
Order it if you want dessert and coffee at once, without anything heavy.
Quick questions
- Is affogato a drink or a dessert?
- A dessert. You eat it with a spoon, though by the end it is half melted and you might drink the last bit.
- Does affogato have caffeine?
- Yes, a shot of espresso, so about the same as a single espresso. Some places offer decaf.