Affogato, which literally means “drowned,” is as perfect an Italian offering as can be. Decadent and made from just two classic ingredients — espresso and ice cream — it is a sweet, creamy, bitter dessert that feels equally at home in a cafe. It gets even better when topped with a condiment that’s also a blend of two classic flavors: hot honey. Affogato usually contains a large scoop of vanilla ice cream, which is topped with a single shot of espresso. A shot of liqueur is sometimes added to the mix for a kick. Hot honey can bring a similar twist to a traditional affogato, elevating it just enough that you can serve it up as dessert at a dinner party without feeling guilty about just how easy it is to make compared to almost any other dessert.
The Italian concoction is so simple, you can get an affogato at McDonald’s by ordering its two components separately. Of course, it is also very easy to put together at home, and you can even make homemade hot honey. There are just a few things to keep in mind when putting your hot honey affogato together. The espresso should be poured over the ice cream just before serving in order to preserve the tantalizing hot-cold contrast of the two ingredients. Therefore, prep beforehand by drizzling hot honey over the vanilla ice cream, and then pour the espresso whenever you’re ready to dig in. It’s also a good idea to use a chilled glass or bowl so that the ice cream remains cold for longer once the espresso is poured.
Try these tricks with your hot honey affogato
Because an affogato is made with so few ingredients, you can easily experiment with the proportions as well as add-ons to customize this Italian classic to your taste (and the occasion). If you find the addition of hot honey making things too cloying, try increasing the amount of espresso to balance the sweetness. You can also use different coffee types for the espresso. Try a light or medium roast, or beans that have more fruity notes to complement the sweet-spicy flavor of the hot honey. Like Starbucks’ take on hot honey affogato, a few dashes of cocktail bitters also add complexity and contrast to the hot honey.
An affogato is traditionally made using Italian milk gelato, which is different from ice cream. Gelato has a richer texture and flavor compared to ice cream, making for an even more decadent bite. Other iconic Italian flavors like pistachio and stracciatella are also great options in a hot honey affogato. You can top affogato with nuts to add more texture and balance the additional sweetness of the honey.
Finally, while hot honey is a hot favorite amongst most, you can always give people a choice of what they’d like to drizzle over their affogato. Consider offering a choice of hot honey, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kahlua, and other liqueurs or syrups for people to come up with their own favorite affogato variations.
