Salted Caramel Affogato

Salted Caramel Affogato ~ Decadent Italian dessert of “drowned” ice cream and a shot of hot espresso; classic, simple, and combination bound to please all.When I was in Italy last summer, Affogato was on a menu at one of the restaurants I ate in. My rudimentary Italian and the utterly simple ingredients made it easy to translate: espresso and vanilla ice cream or gelato. I had enjoyed espresso con panna when I worked at Borders Bookstore, the delightful combination of espresso and whipped cream, so I knew ice cream and espresso would be even more amazing.

Sadly, that day, nor any other while I was in Italy did I try an affogato. However, I pretty much ate my weight in cappuccino gelato, which was astonishing to me as I am basically ice cream intolerant since having gastric bypass. Nevertheless, affogato was something I was going to make, going to try, and going to hope for the best, physically.Elizabeth has no such restrictions in her diet where ice cream is concerned and I can either deprive her a ‘normal’ childhood by never buying the stuff or I can just suck it up and ignore its existence in my freezer. I’ve gone with the latter…mostly. I’ll sneak in a bite here or there with no repercussions. Win-win for everyone, right?

Yeah, then I met Sea Salted Caramel Ice Cream. Game changer. I love chocolate ice cream. I love strawberry and other fruity flavors like huckleberry, peach, and so on. Vanilla is good too. When I was an ice cream eater, as long as it didn’t have nuts or coconut in it, I was good.

I saw the salted caramel on the shelf at the store and I knew instantly I was going to use it in an affogato. A salted caramel affogato to be exact. Then the ice cream sat, one month, two months, three months. Who keeps an unopened carton of ice cream in the freezer for three months??? Who keeps telling their child that ‘no, we can’t open this, I have to make a recipe with it first?” (Outside the few thousand of my fellow food bloggers.)

Last Friday night rolled around. She got tired of seeing it in the freezer. I got tired of telling her no she can’t have it. I got tired of not being able to try it myself. I gave in. Broke the seal on the carton. Grabbed a spoon. Took a swipe. Took the bite.The heavens opened, rays of celestial light shone down, a choir of angels began to sing as my immediate rapture took place.

Then I replaced the lid after allowing she and I only one bite each. Seven return trips to the freezer for a single bite later, I knew I was in trouble. Addiction had set in. So did my earnest desire to make the salted caramel affogato I planned to make in the first place (and before we consumed the whole carton and had to re-buy the ice cream.)

Without further ado, here’s the simplest recipe on the planet, one that probably doesn’t even need a recipe card. One that is so simple is it really worth the current 5oo plus words I’ve written to this point?

Yes, yes it is.

Because coffee + salted caramel ice cream = NIRVANA

Salted Caramel Affogato

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 2

Author: Michelle De La Cerda

Salted Caramel Affogato ~ Decadent Italian dessert of "drowned" ice cream and a shot of hot espresso; classic, simple, and combination bound to please all.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup salted caramel ice cream (4-1/4 cup scoops)
• 2 shots espresso or 1/2 cup STRONG brewed coffee (1/4 cup each)

Instructions

1. Place two rounded scoops of salted caramel ice cream in a mug or bowl.
2. Pour the espresso or strong brewed coffee over the ice cream.
3. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

Ice cream melts FAST once the hot coffee hits it.

Thank you for sharing!