Affogatos are simple. You scoop gelato (or ice cream) into a wide-mouthed cup or mug, then pour a shot or two of hot espresso over top. That’s the basics, but there are definitely ways to advance your affogato game. Here’s what we do:
- We like a 1:2 scoop-to-shot ratio. One healthy scoop of gelato should be nicely covered by a double shot of espresso.
- Scoop the gelato into the cup before you pull your shots. The espresso will be super fresh when it hits, and the gelato will soften a little bit and get real nice and melty. If your espresso set up allows for it, pull the shots directly onto the gelato.
- Add some crunch. Nuts, crispy rice, chocolate chips, or dried coconut flakes add awesome texture to an otherwise ordinary affogato.
But the best way to make a bangin’ affogato? Find the perfect pair. Pay attention to the tasting notes and pick a gelato flavor that sounds like it would go well with the coffee.
For this post, we tried our Brazil Mahogany (Fig, Macadamia, and Toasted Coconut) over Coconut gelato. Bangin’! A few more pairings we are itching to try:
- Ethiopia Ardi (Plum Wine, Concord Grapes, Apple Pie) over Strawberry Gelato
- Colombia San Roque (Clementines, Cherry Cola, Chocolate) over Black Cherry Gelato
- For Haiti blend (Milk Chocolate, Vanilla, Black Pepper) over Rocky Road Ice Cream
Don’t have an espresso machine at home? Percolator coffee works great for affogatos!