Vanilla Bean Affogato

Recipe by: Matt Lewis, Renato Poliafito | from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Cookstr

Course: Dessert

Total Time: Under 15 Minutes

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Inexpensive

Photo by: Tina Rupp

Hot coffee, cold ice cream: this is truly a dessert that everyone can make. Affogare is Italian for “to drown,” which is just what the espresso does to the ice cream here. If you’re like us, you may want to wait a few minutes for the ice cream to melt into the hot espresso a little and pool in the bottom of the glass. Make sure to capture a bit of still-cold ice cream in each spoonful.

Yield: 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

1 pint premium vanilla ice cream
1 vanilla bean
½ cup freshly brewed hot espresso

Directions

Divide the ice cream among 4 wide-mouth tumblers or serving bowls. Put the tumblers in the freezer while you prep your espresso.

Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using the tip of the knife or a small teaspoon, scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the hot espresso. Stir gently.

Slowly pour the espresso mixture over the ice cream in the tumblers. Serve immediately, with small spoons.

Notes

Freshly brewed espresso is hard to substitute, but if you don’t have access to an espresso machine, dissolve a few tablespoons of instant espresso powder in ½ cup boiling water.