It's Coffee Time

AFFOGATO

The world's simplest, most delicious Italian classic, which will take both your coffee and dessert breaks to another level

by Belen Franco

An affogato (Italian for "drowned") is an Italian coffee-based dessert. It usually takes the form of a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped or "drowned" with a shot of hot espresso.

Though restaurants and cafes in Italy categorize the affogato as a dessert, some restaurants and cafes outside Italy categorize it as a beverage. Occasionally, coconut, berries, honeycomb, and multiple flavors of ice cream are added. While the recipe of the affogato is more or less standard in Italy, variations exist in European and American restaurants.

Regardless of having a name in which historians can trace its origin back to, its actual creation is still an enigma. During the 1990s, people began to see the emergence of the dessert specifically in the United States. However, one should take note that this was not when the affogato became prominent, rather it being a period in where society began to develop a subtle interest for it. It was not until the last decade in where individuals began to take into account that an affogato was more than just an Italian dish. Within this boom in popularity, restaurants, coffee shops, and even bars began to take a liking into the dessert, later adding it to their menus. Soon, Starbucks began to take part in the craze and eventually included it in its long list of renowned dishes. And with that, the affogato had earned the fame and adoration in which it’s globally associated with today.

Recipe

2 scoops of vanilla ice cream

2 shots of hot espresso