Berry Vanilla Affogato

This twist on the classic Affogato blends creamy vanilla bean ice cream with espresso and berries for a warm weather treat that doubles as a pick-me-up. Compared to gelato, ice cream is fluffier and creamier with higher air and fat content and it will melt faster when a shot is pulled over it; the inclusion of fresh berries in this recipe provides some texture to contrast with the rapidly melting ice cream along with natural sweetness and acidity to help balance the roastier bittersweet notes of the espresso.

Recipe Details

• Complexity - Low
• Serves - 1
• Prep Time - 5 Min
• Cost - ($)

Ingredients

• Espresso - 1.5 fl oz / 44 ml
• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - 1.8 oz / 50g
• Fresh Berries

Espresso Selection

Your espresso is half of your affogato and will play a major role in the resulting flavor. For this particular recipe we wound up using our Crema Wave espresso blend. It’s not too bright but also not too roast forward at the same time. Ice cream being a dairy like milk means that Crema Wave blends very well with it with its inherent sweetness being enhanced. Balance is going to be key so a very light or very dark roasted coffee is going to be more of a challenge to work with.

Use Quality Ice Cream

This should go without saying, but if you’re using specialty coffee for your espresso, it’s important to buy a quality ice cream to pair it with. The key thing is to avoid ice creams with artificial flavors so you don’t contaminate your palate with off tastes.

Equipment

• Scale
• Ice Cream/Gelato Scoop

Pre-Chilling Your Cups

Using pre-chilled cups that come straight from the freezer can help maintain the temperature of your ice cream longer and prevent it from melting as quickly. The contrast between the hot espresso and cold ice cream is part of what makes affogatos enjoyable from a texture standpoint. If you do wind up following this suggestion, make sure that you use a cup made of borosilicate glass or a similarly thermal shock resistant material.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep Your Shot

For the affogato, you’ll want to brew your shot directly over the ice cream. Prepping your shot first will help to keep your ice cream as cold as possible before you begin brewing to minimize melting. Prep your shot as you normally would. If using a super-automatic machine you can skip this step.

Scoop Your Ice Cream

Once your shot is prepped, you’ll want to scoop your ice cream as quickly as possible. Remove your ice cream from the freezer along with your pre-chilled cups. Place your cup on the scale and measure out 50g of ice cream (bonus points if you manage to get 50g in one scoop). Tare out your ice cream and slide the cup and scale under your portafilter.

Pull Your Shot and Add Your Berries

Once your ice cream is in position, you’ll want to pull your shot immediately following your standard espresso recipe. Remove the affogato from the machine, top with berries and serve and enjoy immediately.

Photography by Grace Walker

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