An affogato /ˌɑːfəˈɡɑːtəʊ/, /ˌæfəˈɡɑːtəʊ/, more traditionally known as "affogato al caffe" (

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

for "drowned in coffee"), is an Italian

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of ...

-based

dessert Dessert is a course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as confections, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. In some parts of the world, such as much of Greece and West Africa, and most parts o ...

. It usually takes the form of a scoop of plain milk-flavored (''fior di latte'') or vanilla

gelato Gelato (; ) is the common word in Italian for all kinds of ice cream. In English, it specifically refers to a frozen dessert of Italian origin. Artisanal gelato in Italy generally contains 6%–9% butterfat, which is lower than other styl ...

ice cream Ice cream is a sweetened frozen food typically eaten as a snack or dessert. It may be made from milk or cream and is flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit such as ...

topped or "drowned" with a shot of hot

espresso Espresso (, ) is a coffee-brewing method of Italian origin, in which a small amount of nearly boiling water (about ) is forced under of pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. Espresso can be made with a wide variety of coffee beans a ...

. Some variations also include a shot of amaretto, Bicerin, Kahlua, or other liqueur.

Varieties of affogato

Though restaurants and cafes in Italy categorize the affogato as a dessert, some restaurants and cafes outside of Italy categorize it as a beverage. Whether a dessert or beverage, restaurants and cafes usually serve the affogato in a tall narrowing glass, allowing the fior di latte, vanilla gelato, or ice cream to melt and combine with espresso into the hollowed space in the bottom of the glass. Occasionally, coconut, berries, honeycomb and multiple flavors of ice cream are added. A biscotto or cookie can also be served and enjoyed alongside this beverage. Affogati are often enjoyed as a post-meal coffee dessert combo eaten and or drunk with a spoon or straw. While the recipe of the affogato is more or less standard in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, consisting of a scoop of fior di latte or

vanilla Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus '' Vanilla'', primarily obtained from pods of the Mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla ('' V. planifolia''). Pollination is required to make the plants produce the fruit from whic ...

topped with a shot of

, variations exist in European and American restaurants.

History

The origins of the affogato in Italian history are unknown, but it gained popularity in Italy during the 1950s. This coincided with the industrialization of ice cream production. In America, the word ''affogato'' was included in English dictionaries as of 1992.

References

Ice cream drinks Coffee drinks Italian cuisine Italian drinks Coffee in Italy {{coffee-stub

Varieties of affogato

History

See also

References