Affogato al caffè is an Italian dessert made by pouring a shot of espresso over a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream.

What does affogato mean in English?

Literally translated, affogato al caffè means “drowned in coffee” or “drowned in espresso”. The name refers to the scoop of vanilla gelato that is “drowned” in freshly brewed espresso.

What is espresso with ice cream called?

Affogato al caffè is the common name for espresso served with vanilla gelato or vanilla ice cream. At Beanwatch, we refer to it as Affogato al caffè di specialità when it is prepared with specialty coffee beans. This allows the fruity flavour notes of the coffee to shine through, especially when the gelato is made without eggs and instead uses a stabiliser such as xanthan gum.

How do I make affogato without an ice cream maker?

Using an ice cream maker usually results in creamier gelato with fewer ice crystals. However, not everyone has the space or budget for one.Here is a simple method without an ice cream maker:Freeze the milk for at least 6–8 hours, preferably overnight. Mix the remaining ingredients together and store them in the refrigerator. The next day, add the frozen milk cubes to the chilled cream mixture and blend everything with a high-performance blender on a high setting until a creamy, smooth ice cream consistency forms.You can either serve the mixture immediately and pour the espresso over the gelato, or freeze the blended ice cream for another 1–2 hours for a firmer texture. Before serving, let the gelato sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes so that you can form nice scoops.

Affogato Recipe for Fruity Espressos

Name: Affogato Recipe for Fruity Espressos
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 4 cups
Cuisine: Coffee
Ingredients: 200 g Heavy cream (30–35% fat); 200 ml Milk (fresh, pasteurised, 3.9% fat); 100 g Single cream; 1 tbsp Vanilla extract; 80 g Sugar; 0.5 tsp Xanthan gum (egg substitute and stabiliser); 18 g Coffee beans (1:2.5 brew ratio)

Specialty coffee has a nemesis that often spells the end for fruity and floral espressos: eggs. Even as an ingredient in ice cream preparation, eggs degrade your specialty coffee into an ordinary brew. With this egg-free affogato al caffè recipe, we show you that it's worth using fruity or floral coffee beans.

⏱ Prep and preparation time: 15 minutes active preparation, 1 hour 30 minutes chilling time

⚡ Caffeine and nutrition: 80 mg , 200 kcal

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Last updated on May 30, 2026

What You Need for Affogato al Caffè

Eine blaue Eismaschine mit Vanilleeis steht auf einer Küchentheke.

Ice cream maker

Eine Hebelmaschine von Kees van der Westen auf blauem Hintergrund

Portafilter machine

Mit der Comandante Handmühle wird gerade Filterkaffee gemahlen

Grinder

Coffee Scale

For this recipe, we recommend using an ice cream maker. (Tip: If you would like to make gelato without an ice cream maker, you can find instructions in our step-by-step guide.) For the espresso, we use a coffee grinder, a scale, and a portafilter espresso machine.

Affogato Instructions: How to Make Espresso with Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients

for 4 Servings

200 g Heavy cream (30–35% fat)

200 ml Milk (fresh, pasteurised, 3.9% fat)

100 g Single cream

1 tbsp Vanilla extract

80 g Sugar

0.5 tsp Xanthan gum (egg substitute and stabiliser)

18 g Coffee beans (1:2.5 brew ratio)

All ingredients are combined and stirred together in a bowl.

200 g

Heavy cream (30–35% fat)

200 ml

Milk (fresh, pasteurised, 3.9% fat)

100 g

Single cream

1 tbsp

Vanilla extract

80 g

Sugar

Mix the milk, heavy cream, coffee cream, vanilla extract, and sugar in a bowl and stir until well combined.

In our blog article, we explain which milk foams best.

We use half a teaspoon of xanthan gum as an egg substitute.

0.5 tsp

Xanthan gum (egg substitute and stabiliser)

Blend the mixture using a blender or a Thermomix. Since eggs can mask the flavour of the coffee, we use xanthan gum as an egg substitute and stabiliser. When using xanthan gum, it is better to use too little than too much, otherwise the gelato may become overly fluffy.

Tip: As an alternative to xanthan gum, you can also use locust bean gum (1 level teaspoon per portion).

Pour the chilled mixture directly into the container of the ice cream maker.

Let the ice cream mixture rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Blend the mixture once more, then pour it into the ice cream maker. If you do not have an ice cream maker, you will find an alternative method in the FAQs below.

If you are using a fruity espresso, choose a brew ratio of 1:2.5.

18 g

Coffee beans (1:2.5 brew ratio)

Divide the gelato between the cups, using one scoop of gelato per cup.

Prepare a double espresso with a fruity coffee using a brew ratio of 1:2.5. With 18 g of ground coffee, this will yield 45 ml of espresso in the cup. Repeat this step for each serving.

Tip: For darker roasts, we recommend a brew ratio of 1:2 to keep bitterness under control. With 18 g of ground coffee, this will yield 36 ml of espresso per affogato.