Now that we’ve finished the series on affogato at gelato/specialty coffee shops in the DC area, a few thoughts on ways you can try it at home.
If you have a home espresso machine, you can certainly buy some ice cream or gelato and throw one together in your own kitchen. I’d suggest keeping the gelato in the freezer until the espresso is made so it doesn’t start with any pre-coffee melting. Experiment to get the right mix between espresso and gelato for your taste. You don’t need espresso necessarily, give it a shot with some black coffee.
You’ll also occasionally see adult versions, desserts where the affogato is made with a shot of liquor. That makes for a nice treat, I’d recommend scotch or rye whisky. You don’t need to go top shelf here, a cheap blend will do just as well as a fine single malt. Avoid bourbon as it’s too sweet to pair with the gelato.
There’s an old recipe in my family for a dessert that might sound gross but is actually really delicious and adds a nice textural change. It’s also about the easiest thing you can throw together. Scoop some good vanilla ice cream or gelato in a bowl. Splash on a little bit of whisky (same admonition as above on the selection). Sprinkle on top……. ground coffee beans. Use an easy touch on both the whisky and the coffee as they are there to complement the ice cream and each other, and you don’t want so much coffee that your teeth tire reducing the boulders to grit. Sounds weird, but trust me, give it a shot.