Skip to main content
Coles

For a dreamy after-dinner dessert, you can’t beat this rich affogato. It’s served with chocolate ice cream and sweet amaretti bikkies.

  • Serves4
  • Cook time2 minutes
  • Prep time5 minutes
Choc Vanilla Affogato

Ingredients

  • 4 vanilla ice cream sticks
  • 1/3 cup roasted almonds, chopped
  • 10 Anzac biscuits, lightly crushed
  • 200ml fresh espresso coffee

Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.

Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.

Method

  1. Step 1

    Place ice cream sticks in four heatproof glasses.
  2. Step 2

    Sprinkle with nuts and crushed biscuits. Pour over coffee to serve.

Vanilla and chocolate affogato recipe

This classic Italian dessert will transport your dinner party guests to a piazza in Rome on a hot summer’s evening. Best of all, it’s quick to make and won’t break the bank.  

A classic pairing of vanilla gelato or ice cream and freshly brewed espresso coffee, affogato is given a fun update here. In this affogato recipe, the scoop of ice cream is replaced with a vanilla-flavoured ice cream stick, with roasted almonds and amaretti biscuits added. Pick up the stick and crunch through the chocolate casing, which should already be melting a little from the freshly brewed coffee. Then keep dunking that ice cream into the warm coffee.

What is affogato?

Affogato translates to “drowned” in Italian, and that’s exactly what happens to the scoop of vanilla ice cream as the espresso coffee is poured into the serving glass. This dessert is eaten with a spoon, with each scoop taking in a little of the ice cream and a little of the coffee. When the ice cream has either been eaten or melted, the remaining coffee is sipped.

In a classic affogato, recipes will feature only those two ingredients – a freshly brewed shot of espresso and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be tweaked to taste or just for fun! 

How to make affogato

Because hot and cold elements are assembled in the glass when making affogatos, it’s best to keep these separate until you’re just about to eat your dessert. Put the ice cream stick, nuts and crushed biscuits in the bowl, then pour over the coffee and serve quickly. The coffee can even be served in a small espresso cup or jug for guests to pour themselves.

If a dinner party guest isn’t keen on caffeine, brew some decaffeinated coffee instead.

For a festive touch, add a shot of hazelnut, almond or coffee-flavoured liqueur.

Have some fun with the ice cream stick by swapping out different flavours, like cookies & cream or honeycomb instead of vanilla, and mixing up the toppings. Or choose the chocolate variety and make it a chocolate affogato.

Now get cooking

Keen to try your hand at more coffee-flavoured desserts? Try these impressive-looking affogato panna cotta cups, this crowd-pleasing coffee meringue torte or Curtis Stone’s reverse affogato sundaes with caramelised banana. Another Italian dessert featuring coffee is tiramisu. Make your own sponge for this stunning tiramisu cake. If you’re short on time, pick up a Coles Double Sponge Unfilled Cake for this version.

Another option is to go down the single-serve ice cream route. These choc mint ice-blocks would be a fun way to end a dinner party. These Neapolitan ice cream pops are colourful and refreshing. Or try this vegan nice cream recipe, which pairs avocado with lime, mint and coconut milk. 

FAQs