Type | Beverage |
---|---|
Place of origin | Italy |
Main ingredients | Gelato or ice cream ( vanilla), espresso |
An affogato ( /ˌɑːfəˈɡɑːtoʊ, ˌæf-/), known in full in Italian as (gelato) affogato al caffè [1] ('(ice cream) drowned in coffee'), is an Italian coffee-based dessert. It usually takes the form of a scoop of plain milk-flavored (fior di latte) or vanilla gelato or ice cream topped or "drowned" with a shot of hot espresso. Some variations add a shot of amaretto, bicerin, Kahlúa, or other liqueur. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Though restaurants and cafés in Italy categorize the affogato as a dessert, some restaurants and cafés outside of Italy categorize it as a beverage. [7] Whether a dessert or beverage, restaurants and cafés usually serve the affogato in a tall glass with a narrow bottom, allowing the ice cream to melt and combine with the espresso at the bottom of the glass. [6] Occasionally, coconut, berries, honeycomb and multiple flavours of ice cream are added. [8] A biscotto or cookie can also be served and enjoyed alongside this beverage. [9] Affogatos (also pluralized as affogati) are often enjoyed as a post-meal coffee dessert combo eaten with a spoon and/or drunk with a straw. [10] [1]
While the recipe of the affogato is more or less standard in Italy, consisting of a scoop of fior di latte (unflavored) or vanilla gelato topped with a shot of espresso, variations exist in European and North American restaurants. [11]
Various desserts of ice cream "drowned" in other liquids are documented, including whisky, [12] hot chocolate, soda, kirsch, Vin Santo, [13] and port wine. [14]
The origins of the affogato in Italian history are unknown, [15] but it gained popularity in Italy during the 1950s. This coincided with the industrialization of ice cream production. [16] English-language dictionaries document the use of affogato in 1988. [17] [18]
Media related to Affogato at Wikimedia Commons