How to make affogato at home

An affogato is one of the simplest desserts there is: a scoop of ice cream or gelato with a shot of hot espresso poured over it, eaten straight away. You need about two minutes, two ingredients and a small glass. The hot coffee melts the edges of the ice cream into a sweet, creamy sauce while the middle stays cold.

Where affogato comes from

Affogato is Italian. As the Wikipedia entry on affogato explains, the full name, affogato al caffè, roughly means "drowned in coffee". In Italy it is usually made with plain milk-flavoured gelato or vanilla, and sometimes with a splash of liqueur. Its appeal is the contrast: hot and cold, bitter and sweet, in one spoonful.

What you need

• One or two small scoops of ice cream (about 70–100 ml).
• One shot of hot, strong coffee (about 30 ml), freshly made.
• A small heatproof glass, cup or bowl, chilled in the freezer if you have time.
• A spoon, and something crunchy on the side if you like: biscotti, amaretti or a shard of hokey pokey.

Step by step

1. Chill the glass. Pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes so the ice cream doesn't slide straight into soup.
2. Scoop first. Put the ice cream in the glass before you make the coffee. Use a warm scoop for a neat ball.
3. Make the coffee. Pull a shot of espresso or brew a short, strong coffee.
4. Pour and serve immediately. Pour the hot coffee over the ice cream at the table, so everyone sees it melt.
5. Eat quickly. An affogato is best in the first few minutes, when there's still plenty of frozen ice cream in the middle.

No espresso machine? No problem

Strength matters more than the gadget. Weak coffee just thins the ice cream out. Here's how to get a strong shot with what you have:

Best ice cream flavours for affogato

Vanilla is traditional because it lets the coffee shine, but almost anything creamy works. A few combinations worth trying:

• Real vanilla bean: the classic, sweet and clean.
• Salted caramel or Smokey Pokey: caramel and coffee are natural partners, and the hokey pokey adds crunch.
• Dark chocolate: rich, a bit like a mocha you eat with a spoon.
• Cookies & cream: the cookie pieces soak up the coffee. See our Cookies & Cream.
• Vietnamese coffee: for the full coffee hit. Our Vietnamese Coffee ice cream is espresso and condensed milk, inspired by the iced coffee of Vietnam.

Fruit flavours are less common, but raspberry with espresso is surprisingly good if you like a sharper contrast.

Common affogato mistakes

An affogato is simple, which means small things make a big difference. These are the usual culprits when it doesn't taste right:

• Weak coffee. Filter coffee or a long black is too watery. You want a short, strong shot.
• Too much coffee. One shot per scoop or two is plenty; more and the ice cream disappears into a lukewarm drink.
• Soft ice cream. Start with firm, properly frozen ice cream so it melts slowly under the hot coffee.
• Warm glass. A room-temperature glass speeds up melting. Chill it first.
• Waiting. Pour and eat straight away. An affogato left for five minutes is coffee soup.

If you get it right, the first spoonful should be half hot coffee, half cold ice cream, with a creamy, coffee-coloured layer where they meet.

Grown-up twists

For an after-dinner affogato, add a small splash of liqueur to the coffee: amaretto, a coffee liqueur or a hazelnut liqueur are popular. Keep it small, about a teaspoon or two, so it doesn't overwhelm the ice cream. Skip the alcohol for kids and drivers, of course; a pinch of cinnamon or grated dark chocolate on top is a lovely alcohol-free finish.

Dairy-free affogato

Espresso has no dairy, so an affogato is easy to make vegan: just use a plant-based ice cream. Oat milk ice cream is particularly good because it is mild and creamy. Our dairy-free range includes chocolate and caramel flavours that work beautifully. Read more in our guide to dairy-free ice cream bases.

What to serve alongside

An affogato is a complete dessert on its own, but a little something crunchy on the side turns it into an occasion. Italian almond biscuits such as amaretti or biscotti are traditional, and they are good for dunking. Closer to home, a gingernut, a piece of shortbread or a shard of homemade hokey pokey works just as well; our guide to hokey pokey has a three-ingredient recipe. Keep portions small: a single scoop and a single shot is the classic size, and it is rich enough after a big meal.

Making affogato for a crowd

For a dinner party, pre-scoop the ice cream into chilled glasses and keep them in the freezer on a tray. When it is time for dessert, brew the coffee and pour at the table. It takes five minutes for six people, and it always feels like more effort than it was. If your ice cream is too hard to scoop, our tips on softening ice cream will help.