Affogato al Caffè with Warninks Advocaat

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Affogato al caffè with Warninks advocaat is a quick and simple upgrade to the classic Italian dessert of espresso with ice cream. It’s essentially espresso affogato with alcohol and it makes a fantastic finale to special dinners all through the year, not just Christmas.

Espresso and ice cream dessert in a glass with a mini stroopwafel.

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH WARNINKS. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

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What is affogato al caffè?
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredients notes
Step by step instructions
Expert tips
Serving suggestions
Frequently asked questions
More Warninks advocaat desserts and drinks
📖 Recipe

If you are looking for a decidedly easy, hands-off dessert, look no further than my recipe for affogato al caffè with Warninks advocaat. It takes this classic Italian dessert, combining espresso and ice cream, and adds a flurry of excitement to the mix with a splash of advocaat (aka the golden good stuff in my mind).

This espresso affogato with alcohol is quick, simple, delicious, just for grown-ups and out of this world delicious thanks to the magical mellow flavour of that golden advocaat.

What is affogato al caffè?

Affogato al caffè is the full name of what is commonly known as affogato. This is the classic Italian dessert of vanilla ice cream with espresso poured over it. Affogato al caffè translates from Italian to English as drowned in coffee which is exactly what happens to that ice cream when the hot espresso hits it.

The traditional way to serve an espresso affogato is in a small coffee cup or heatproof glass. A small spoon should be used to scoop up the ice cream that has not fully melted. Then, when only liquid is left, this should be sipped rather than spooned up. Affogato is really rather like a dessert and drink combined.

This quick and simple dessert is also referred to as caffè affogato, affogato cafè espresso affogato, coffee affogato or quite simply espresso with ice cream or coffee with ice cream.

The correct pronunciation of affogato is af-faw-gah-toh.

A glass of affagato al caffè (espresso and ice cream) with a cookie garnish.

Why you’ll love this recipe

The inclusion of Warninks advocaat in this easy Italian coffee dessert really transforms it into caffè affogato with alcohol. Reasons to make it are plentiful:

It’s still incredibly quick and simple to make.
Coffee lovers will adore this dessert.
The blend of hot & cold elements and robust coffee alongside sweet ice cream is a joy to experience.
And the buzz of warming advocaat is a welcome addition that boosts the sweetness of this classic Italian dessert a little… but not too much.
It’s easy to dress up with garnishes for special occasions.
As it’s so quick to make, advocaat-laced espresso with ice cream is a fantastic dessert for last-minute entertaining or when time is tight.

Of course, Warninks advocaat is hugely associated with Christmas, but don’t make the mistake of limiting this dessert just to the festive season. It’s a treat that can (and should) be enjoyed year-round.

All-in-all, this recipe for affogato with alcohol makes wonderful use of the sublime flavour pairing of coffee and advocaat. If you like the sound of this, be sure to find my recipes for Christmas latte and advocaat tiramisu as they feature these flavours too.

Ingredients notes

With just three ingredients it’s important to ensure that you select the best products that you can afford for your affogato al caffè. There’s nowhere for inferior ingredients to hide here.

Labelled ingredients for affogato dessert with alcohol.

Warninks Advocaat: regular readers will know that I have a strong allegiance with Warninks advocaat. Sure, this is a post that I have worked with Warninks to create, but that’s because I honestly do rate their product incredibly highly.

I wouldn’t dream of using an alternative brand in any drinks or baking recipes myself, so I won’t recommend that to you either. Stick with Warninks and be certain that you’ll get that beautiful flavour of brandy-based vanilla custard. The buzz of alcohol is immensely warming, making it the ideal playmate alongside the coffee and ice cream in this dessert.

Coffee: as this is an Italian dessert pick Italian coffee beans. These are defined by their roast, with Italians tending to opt for a relatively dark roast because it delivers all the qualities usually favoured in an espresso or a ristretto. Think robust and rich flavour, a little smokiness in the aroma and a little more bitterness but less acidity compared to lighter roasts.

If possible, use whole roasted beans that you can grind at home when they are required. Once ground, proceed to brew the espresso in a coffee machine. Failing that, use pre-ground coffee and either brew in a coffee machine, AeroPress or cafetiere.

I don’t particularly recommend using instant coffee in this recipe for espresso with ice cream.

Ice Cream: use the best quality that you can afford. Traditionally, caffè affogato combines vanilla ice cream with espresso. However, there’s nothing to stop you from playing around with the flavours. I made and photographed one using chocolate ice cream (creating a mocha affogato) instead. It was delightful to eat or, dare I confess, devour.

Step by step instructions

Are you ready to make the quickest dessert of your life? You’re 4 steps away from the ultimate affogato al caffè:

Brew the espresso coffee.
In a heatproof jug mix the espresso and Warninks advocaat together then reheat on full power in the microwave for 15 seconds.
Put the ice cream into a heatproof glass or mug and pour the coffee mixture over the ice cream.
Garnish as desired and serve immediately.

Collage of images showing espresso and ice cream dessert being made.

Expert tips

Ensure that your serving cup or glass is large enough to hold two scoops of ice cream and 60ml of liquid.
If you are using glasses, make sure that they are heatproof. Hot coffee can shatter glassware that is not designed to hold hot liquid.
Time is of the essence when serving caffè affogato. Be quick in serving this dessert so that the ice cream is not entirely melted. There should still be plenty to scoop up with a spoon at the point of serving.
An authentic affogato would have only one scoop of vanilla ice cream with espresso poured over the top. However, since this recipe for affogato with alcohol is not entirely authentic, feel free to add an extra scoop of ice cream.

Serving suggestions

Since we’re in the market for having fun with the classic espresso and ice cream combination, let’s take things a little further and consider how else this espresso affogato laced with Warninks advocaat could be taken.

Vary the ice cream flavour

First of all, do consider playing around with the flavour of ice cream you select. Although vanilla is a great starting point, I find merit in all of the following options too:

Coffee ice cream – creating a double espresso affogato (a dream for coffee lovers).
Chocolate – this definitely deserves the title of mocha affogato.
Pistachio or hazelnut – what could be better than adding a sweet nutty profile to the flavours? So simple yet so effective.

Basically, consider the flavour profile that your coffee embraces and go from there, letting your imagination run riot.

Add a garnish

For a texture boost and an extra dose of fun and pizzazz consider adding a topping to your espresso and ice cream dessert:

Biscotti – any flavour will do.
Grated chocolate – especially dark.
A chocolate flake – particularly good with the mocha affogato.
Wafers – great for scooping the soft ice cream.
Mini Stroopwafel cookies – again, a good vessel for excavating the ice cream with.
Shortbread fingers – understated elegance.
Brandy snaps – their robust flavour pairs well with the advocaat. And, as they are quite festive, they make a great option at Christmas.
Chocolate brownie (cubed or crumbled) – this is, perhaps, overkill with the mocha affogato. But it works a treat when used to garnish the combination of vanilla ice cream with espresso.

Chocolate affogato dessert with a stroopwafel cookie.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use decaffeinated coffee?

Yes, of course. This might prove especially popular close to bedtime.

Can I make it dairy free?

Yes, you can. Warninks advocaat contains no dairy (it is made from egg yolks, vanilla, sugar and brandy). So, to turn your affogato al caffè dairy-free simply swap the ice cream for your favourite non-dairy alternative.

Please note that it is not, however, possible to make this dessert vegan.

Can I make it in advance?

I’m afraid not. espresso with ice cream is a dessert that needs to be served as soon as it has been assembled. As soon as the hot coffee is poured, the ice cream will melt quickly.

More Warninks advocaat desserts and drinks

Have you made this recipe for affogato al caffè with Warninks advocaat? How did you decorate yours? If you’re on Instagram tag me @jane_littlesugarsnaps so I can see. And don’t forget to leave a comment or rating – I always love to hear how readers get along with my recipes.

📖 Recipe

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