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Affogato: How to Make at Home (with Colostrum)

By Lilly Drucis

April 16, 2025

Looking for a sophisticated tasting dessert yet is easy as can be to make? The Italian dessert affogato is the perfect answer, for it combines the taste of gelato and espresso for a delicious, satisfying way to end a meal.

The secret ingredient is Ancient Nutrition’s colostrum, which was created for gut and immune system health while also using high-quality, responsibly-sourced ingredients. You’ll mix it with the espresso before pouring over the gelato (or ice cream). It also adds some subtle sweetness.

Let’s learn more about this easy dessert, how to make it and some questions you may have.

What is affogato?

Affogato is an Italian dessert with just two base ingredients: a scoop of gelato or ice cream, usually vanilla, and then topped with espresso. Sometimes variations will add a liqueur like amaretto or Kahlúa.

Called affogato al caffè in Italian, affogato means “drowned” and the full translation means drowning ice cream in coffee. The espresso melts the ice cream and creates a delicious combination of hot and cold, bitter and sweet flavors.

What is the best ice cream for affogato? While the best option is vanilla gelato for an authentic Italian experience, you can also go with a vanilla bean ice cream that’s easier to find in the grocery store.

Three ingredients

• Espresso: While you can also use strong black coffee, espresso is the authentic choice.

• Colostrum: The first form of milk produced by mammals immediately following childbirth, Ancient Nutrition’s bovine colostrum offers benefits for gut health, healthy immune system support and overall wellness. This bovine colostrum is sustainably sourced from grass-fed cows raised in the U.S. without hormones. You can also try the lemon bar flavor.

• Vanilla gelato: A classic vanilla gelato or vanilla bean ice cream marries extremely well with the espresso. You can also go with a dairy-free vanilla ice cream or make our own dairy-free, collagen-infused vanilla bean ice cream for some skin benefits, too.

How to make

It’s not complicated. Simply brew some espresso, two shots worth. Pour into a cup and stir in one scoop of unflavored colostrum until fully incorporated.

Add a large scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream to a small bowl. Pour over the espresso colostrum mixture. Enjoy!

FAQ

What can you top affogato with?

While espresso and gelato may suffice for most folks, some may want to add some toppings. Here are some top candidates:

• Chocolate sauce

• Shavings from a dark chocolate bar

• Cacao nibs

• Dust with cocoa powder

• Chopped pistachios or hazelnuts

• Liqueur for adults (e.g. amaretto, Frangelico and Kahlúa)

Are you supposed to eat or drink affogato?

Affogato is really meant to be eaten with a spoon, though the gelato or ice cream will melt if you linger too long and if you use very hot espresso. Some prefer to chill their espresso so little melt occurs.

Can you make affogato with regular coffee?

Yes, you can substitute regular coffee for espresso, but do your best to make it a strong, concentrated batch. Worried about the caffeine keeping you up? Then just go with a decaffeinated version.

Does anyone have affogato for breakfast?

Typically affogato is a dessert but you can swap gelato for Greek yogurt and make it into a breakfast.

What are the best types of gelato or ice cream?

As said above, vanilla is the most common flavor used in this dessert, but chocolate or mind chocolate chip can also work.

What alcohol is recommended for an affogato?

For some adults who want a little kick in their affogato, a sweet liqueur is used. The most common is Frangelico, which is hazelnut flavored, but you can also use amaretto or Kahlúa.

Lilly Drucis can be followed at https://www.instagram.com/lilsfitlife/