Gelato Affogato

David Rocco again today. His Gelato Affogato is a classic recipe, vanilla gelato smothered in espresso. Gelato affogato al caffe, to call it by its full name, is like an Armani suit, simple and elegant. You can dress it up. You can dress it down. It can go from day into night. I prefer mine dressed with whipped cream, con panna as they say in Italia.

But which is the star? The gelato or the espresso? Hard to say. The gelato must be rich. And if it is a good gelato, it will be. The espresso must be strong, Italian and hot, which is a good combination for lots of things besides espresso. But I digress.

This dessert sounds so simple, espresso poured over ice cream, but it is a remarkably complex blend of flavors, temperatures, textures and smells. Start with cold creamy gelato, usually vanilla, but some prefer chocolate. (It is your dessert. Have what you want.) Pour on the espresso – the hot liquid essence of coffee with just a hint of a bitter edge. The perfume of the espresso wafts up to your nose before you place your spoon in your mouth.

This is a dessert for the senses. A grown-up dessert for sure, the kind you would expect to see Audrey Hepburn enjoying in an outdoor café on the Via Veneto. Or maybe Giorgio Armani.