What Is an Affogato? The Italian Dessert That Drowns Gelato in Espresso

The affogato is the simplest serious dessert in the Italian repertoire — two ingredients, no skill, and no equipment beyond an espresso machine and a freezer. A scoop of cold gelato sits in a small glass; a hot shot of espresso is poured over it at the table; you eat the result with a spoon as the gelato slowly melts into a sweetened coffee pool. The whole thing takes about a minute to assemble and somewhere between two and five minutes to enjoy, and it is consistently among the best things you can make at home with an espresso machine. ...

May 2, 2026 · 24 min · Home Espresso Lab