Summer is here, and we’re all on the lookout for simple desserts that can help us cool down. But no one wants to spend too much time in the kitchen during vacations when it’s sunny outside and the day is full of multiple outdoor activities to enjoy. Fortunately, sometimes the simplest desserts are the most satisfying, and Italian affogato is definitely one of them.
While not all Italian desserts are easy to make, to make affogato you only need a few simple ingredients, and chances are that you already have them in the fridge during summer.
While the traditional version of affogato is already perfect, if you’d love some variety, here are 3 easy affogato variations featuring classic vanilla ice cream alongside creative toppings.
Classic Affogato With Toasted Nuts
Sometimes you may feel like a combination of classic vanilla ice cream and your favorite espresso would benefit from a very small addition. If you’re craving a bit of crunch, the best way to perfect your summer dessert is to use toasted nuts as a topping.
For making this variation, you just need to scoop a generous portion of vanilla ice cream into a glass, then pour a hot shot of espresso right over it. But before you top it with toasted nuts, you need to know that the taste of this dessert depends a lot on the quality of your espresso shot. Basically, it has to be strong enough to stand up to the ice cream instead of getting diluted by it. Using a De' Longhi automatic coffee maker could be a great idea here, as it always pulls a consistent shot each time you brew an espresso.
Once you have a reliable way to brew a rich espresso, the rest of the recipe practically makes itself. You just need to toast a few almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, or any of your favorite nuts and sprinkle them on the ice cream while the espresso is still hot. Yes, it’s hot already, and you may not want to spend time with a pan, but toasting nuts only takes a couple of minutes, and the taste it gives your affogato is actually worth your time. After all, nutty flavor pairs perfectly with the bitterness of the quality coffee.
Affogato With Chocolate Shavings
If you’re not a nut lover or you just don’t like the idea of combining espresso and nuts, then a great option to enhance the flavors of your affogato could be adding chocolate to it. When it comes to ice cream, people are mostly either team vanilla or team chocolate. If you like the combination of both but don’t want to sacrifice the classic vanilla base for your affogato, the best option is to find a middle ground and top it with some chocolate shavings instead of replacing the vanilla ice cream completely.
To make affogato with chocolate shavings, start the same way as before: scoop your vanilla ice cream into a glass and pour a fresh shot of hot espresso over it. This time, instead of nuts, grab a bar of dark chocolate. To create the shavings, you can use a vegetable peeler and run it along one side of the chocolate bar. Then sprinkle the curls over your affogato immediately so that some melt into the hot espresso while others remain at the top of the ice cream for added texture.
The reason why you should choose dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate for this affogato variation is that the combo of espresso and dark chocolate can create a stronger contrast with the sweet vanilla ice cream. Still, you can, of course, use milk chocolate too, if you prefer a softer, creamier flavor.
Salted Caramel Affogato
Even if you have a sweet tooth, sometimes you may feel like ice cream is too sweet to enjoy on its own, especially in the middle of a hot summer day. Yes, an espresso shot is a great way to add some bitterness and intensify the flavors of vanilla ice cream, but a little salt can create even more balance.
If you’ve never tried adding flaky sea salt to your desserts, this idea may sound a bit weird. But once you try it, there’s no going back to plain vanilla and espresso alone. The trick is to use it alongside caramel, so you get sweetness, bitterness, and a savory edge all in the same bite.
Again, place one or two scoops of vanilla ice cream in a chilled glass, just like the other variations. The next step is a bit different — before pouring the espresso, drizzle your ice cream with a generous amount of salted caramel sauce over the top and let it settle into the ice cream a bit. Only then should you pour your hot espresso shot over everything and let it melt the ice cream. The last step is to finish with a small pinch of sea salt and another thin caramel drizzle.
You should pay attention to one thing here, though: be careful not to add too much salt, as you only need enough to contrast with the sweetness.
Final Thoughts
All you have to do now is enjoy your favorite version, or better yet, make all three and let everyone at the table pick their own. That's how this perfect Italian dessert works. Affogato has always been simple enough to prepare, but flexible enough that it never feels repetitive, even if you're making it every week until summer's over.
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