Coffee Affogato: history of appearance, features of selection of components and recipes

Italian Affogato is known to many coffee lovers. It is unknown who the author of this culinary work is, but he was definitely born in Italy. This is a dessert that is consumed after lunch, when the body is exhausted and the level of activity decreases. The combination of sweets and coffee helps to increase energy levels.

Dessert history

There is no confirmed information about who and when first came up with the idea of combining ice cream and strong espresso in one container. But absolutely everyone agrees that this dessert first saw the light of day in sunny Italy. The fact is that the afternoon heat of southern countries and the frequent drop in blood sugar levels by the middle of the day become an undeniable reason to consume something sweet and invigorating at the same time. It is Affrogato that copes with this task perfectly, replenishing the body’s energy.

In Italy, it is customary to enjoy a fragrant and invigorating dessert after dinner or instead of it.

The Italian word Affogato translated means “to drown” or “drowned”. And no matter how unpleasant it may sound, a ball of ice cream, immersed in a noble drink, really sinks, dissolving in a delicious sauce. Some connoisseurs additionally add liqueur to this delicious combination.

Types of milk-based coffee cocktails

Cappuccino recipe. Prepared on the basis of espresso, adding frothed milk and foam. Decorate with cinnamon.
Latte recipe. The difference from the previous drink is the increased volume of milk. The taste becomes softer.
Latte macchiato. Here the milk foam is replaced with whipped cream.
Raf coffee. Mix the cream and vanilla sugar in a bowl, then beat until it reaches a stable foam. Pour in a portion of coffee. Here is the recipe for raf coffee.
Breve. Espresso, milk and cream. A distinctive feature is that the dairy ingredients are not whipped, but added in their pure form.
Flat white. It's essentially a cappuccino made from a shot of double espresso. Stronger, brighter-tasting coffee.
Mocha. Coffee cocktail with the addition of chocolate, milk foam, decorated with chocolate sprinkles.
Marocino. It differs from an ordinary cappuccino in that it is decorated with grated chocolate or cocoa powder on top.

Selection of components

One of the main components of affogato is strong espresso, which must be prepared in one or two servings. Double dosage is used to create Macaffogato. If you prepare dessert at home, any type of natural aromatic drink brewed in a geyser coffee maker, French press or pour over will do.

It is necessary to strictly ensure that even grains of ground product do not get into the liquid part of the dessert, so it is better to further purify the Turkish composition by filtration.

You should not select single-origin coffee for preparation, the cost of which is often unreasonably high, since toppings and ice cream will hide all their flavor nuances. But an affogato made from 100% Arabica coffee will turn out extremely tender and soft. For lovers of strength, it is recommended to use mixtures containing the addition of Robusta varieties (not higher than 50%).

The degree of grinding of the raw materials is adjusted depending on the preparation method, but you should not bring the coffee beans to dust.

When creating this amazing dessert, you should give preference to coffee beans with a light (medium) degree of heat treatment. If the stage is too light, the dessert will lose its special coffee taste. But strong roasting will not sound in unison with ice cream. It is better to use bottled water to brew coffee.

Must read: Ristretto: sunny greetings from Italy

Calorie content

Coffee beans of any type contain virtually no carbohydrates. A mug of espresso without sugar contains from 8 to 15 kcal. But since affogato is made from fatty ice cream, it is quite high in calories.

People watching their weight should remember that the main component of such a cocktail is fat (more than 45%). Due to the high carbohydrate content in this drink, those who suffer from diabetes will have to avoid it.

A standard serving of a cocktail (100 ml), made without additives, contains about 250 kcal. Adding granulated sugar will increase the calorie content by 50-100, and sweet syrup or chocolate - by 30-50.

Characteristics of affogato

Coffee bean type	Arabica, addition of Robusta is acceptable (no more than 50%)
Roasting	Medium, light, Viennese, urban
Grinding	Small, but not dusty
Coffee base temperature	Not higher than +80 °C
Cooking time	10 minutes
Output weight	From 80 to 110 g
Fortress	Not higher than 135 mg
Recommended rate	1 per day
Maximum permissible norm	2 per day (due to high calorie content)
Calorie content per serving with 50 g of ice cream	120 kcal
Calories per serving with liquor	224 kcal

Types of coffee beans

When people talk about coffee, in 99% of cases they talk about one of the three most popular varieties. Most coffee products and drinks made from them are made from them. Below you will find a brief description and links to detailed reviews.

Arabica. The very first coffee beans were of this variety. The Arabian coffee tree is the ancestor of all modern varieties. Arabica occupies a leading position - more than 70% of the total global supply. Read our review - what is Arabica.
Robusta. This variety rightfully takes second place. It is Robusta that adds strength and pleasant bitterness to your drink. Look - the Robusta coffee variety.
Liberica closes this trio.

Several video lessons will allow you to get to know these three types of coffee beans better.

Dessert preparation methods

First of all, you need to take care of cooling the container in which the amazing dessert will be placed. And the filling of the sweet dish itself usually occurs as follows:

Place one portion of ice cream in a container and pour a hot aromatic drink over it. The bowl or glass must be resistant to elevated temperatures. With this method, it is permissible to leave the ice cream both hard and soft. But the second option is still preferable.
The second method involves creating a small indentation inside the ice cream. Next, black coffee is carefully poured into it. A small part of the drink will definitely splash out into the container, flowing down the outer surface of the ball. This method creates a spectacular flavor tandem of creamy coffee sauce and melted ice cream. In addition, a peculiar variation of the look inside it will be obtained. This method does not involve the use of heat-resistant cookware.

My Gelato

Address: Manezhnaya sq., 1, bldg. 2 (all addresses can be viewed on the website)

Opening hours: 10:00–22:00

Average check: 500 rubles

mygelato.cafe

The city's main gelateria, of course, serves ice cream with espresso. You can choose the flavor of ice cream to go with your coffee yourself, but the gelateria recommends trying it with classic ice cream, nut ice cream, chocolate ice cream and Gorgonzola gelato. 280 rubles per serving.

Classic affogato recipe

When preparing a classic version of dessert, there is no room for experimentation. Therefore, all components are selected strictly and in precise dosages.

Ingredients:

50 g ice cream;
50 ml strong coffee;
chocolate topping or grated dark chocolate.

Cooking method:

The first step is brewing coffee, which, if necessary, is carefully filtered to remove the resulting suspension.
Next, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the bottom of the cooled container and pour coffee over it in accordance with the chosen method.
The dessert is topped with topping or grated chocolate.

Be sure to read: The most important thing about Gibraltar coffee

If desired, you can decorate the serving with fresh or canned berries and fruits.

An alcoholic version of the classic affogato is also known. It is distinguished by the fact that 15 ml of rum or cognac is first poured into the bottom of the bowl or glass.

J'pan

ADDRESS: st. Trubnaya, 21

OPENING HOURS: Mon. — Fri: 08:00–23:00; Sat. — Sun: 10:00–23:00

AVERAGE CHECK: 700 rubles

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It was impossible to leave out the new Japanese bistro J'pan on Trubnaya in the selection. You won’t find a classic affogato here, but here they make their own variation of the dessert: a scoop of ice cream is poured with a shot of hot matcha tea. It turns out unusual and beautiful, ideal to finish off lunch. Costs 300 rubles.

Affogato with coffee jelly

The aromatic dessert is replete with recipe variations. You can replace the drink with jelly and get a new, interesting taste.

Ingredients:

200 ml coffee for jelly;
50 ml coffee for pouring;
5 g gelatin;
100 g ice cream;
3 tsp. sugar for jelly;
additives to taste.

Step by step recipe:

Gelatin is soaked in cold water according to the instructions on the package.
Brew and strain coffee for jelly.
Dissolve sugar in the drink.
Then the swollen gelatin is mixed with coffee.
Pour the resulting composition into the mold and place it in the refrigerator for several hours.
The resulting jelly is cut into cubes.
Place ice cream in a chilled glass and surround it with jelly.
Drizzle with caramel sauce or chocolate syrup.
Prepare coffee for pouring and send it to the ice cream strictly in the center of the ball.
Decorate the dessert with almond flakes.

Fruit jelly can be a good substitute for coffee jelly.

Types of coffee drinks

If the conversation turns to coffee, then we have sorted out the popular varieties - most often we are talking about either Arabica or Robusta.

But with drinks everything is much more complicated. There are a lot of recipes.

Conventionally, they can be divided into the following categories.

Black coffee.
Espresso and drinks based on it.
All kinds of milk-based coffee cocktails.

Let's try to highlight the main options for each category.

Espresso coffee and drinks based on it

Espresso is a small, rich serving of coffee. Prepared using a coffee machine. The principle is as follows: hot water is passed through a coffee tablet under high pressure. Distinctive features: bright taste and aroma, stable foam. Used as a base for most coffee drinks and cocktails (see how to make espresso coffee).
Doppio is a shot of double espresso (see doppio recipe).
Viennese coffee. Prepared by adding whipped cream to espresso, followed by decoration with sprinkles.
Romano. Add lemon juice.
Ristretto. Reduced espresso shot. It is customary to serve with a glass of cold water. This is necessary in order to avoid dehydration, which can happen after drinking strong coffee.
Lungo. A portion of espresso increased due to water.
Americano. Many people love black coffee. A shot of espresso is diluted with plenty of hot water. You can see the Americano recipe.
Macchiato. A shot of espresso topped with a little milk foam.
Con pana. The prepared espresso is poured into a glass and a large amount of whipped cream is added on top.
Correto. Alcoholic drink - espresso with a portion of cognac, whiskey or gin.
Irish. Espresso with alcohol, and topped with whipped cream.
Glasse. Coffee cocktail with added ice cream. In many recipes, a portion of coffee is pre-cooled. You will need a recipe for iced coffee.

How to serve and drink affogato

The most suitable container for serving affogato is dessert ceramic bowls with thick walls. Wide glass glasses are also good for this purpose. Cups are occasionally used. A spoon is served with dessert.

A straw and sugar bowl are not needed to serve affogato.

This dessert can in no way be called childish, since the caffeine content in it is the same as in a shot of espresso. If you still want to treat your child, then when preparing about 5 ml of coffee you need to additionally dilute it with hot water. In this case, alcohol is completely excluded.

The dessert is served immediately after preparation, since the ice cream will begin to melt quickly and the taste will deteriorate. To adjust the desired amount of alcohol in the dessert, you can serve alcohol in a separate glass.

Tips for making a good affogato

Now that you know how to make a good affogato, here are some tips to help you achieve the best results:

Keep in mind that if you serve the coffee too hot, the ice cream will melt very quickly and it will no longer be a real "drowned" ice cream. Experts recommend submitting everything separately.
Use a chilled bowl, this helps the ice cream not melt as quickly and maintains contrast.
Spice up your dessert. Add cream, cocoa or cinnamon to make the recipe more colorful. Alternatively, you can also accompany it with sesame cookies or waffles, which pair perfectly with the flavor of the affogato.

Types of roasting coffee beans

Another important point. When it comes to the type of coffee, roasting is one of the important points. The taste of the prepared drink directly depends on it.

Light roast. The grains are roasted at low temperatures. They have a light shade. Allows you to best reveal taste qualities.
Light roast. It manages to remove the unpleasant sourness. The grains turn out darker.
Medium roast. A very popular method. Many varieties and blends undergo this degree of processing. The grains are rich brown in color and the taste of the drink is balanced. Without unnecessary bitterness.
Deep roast. The strongest and most bitter drink. There is practically no sourness. The grains are dark brown.

In the picture below you can see all four options. Learn more about roast levels.