The Italian coffee dessert made with espresso poured over vanilla ice cream is called affogato. More fully known as affogato al caffè, it traditionally consists of a scoop of vanilla or fiordilatte gelato topped with a shot of hot espresso.
The word affogato means “drowned” in Italian, describing how the gelato is submerged in coffee. The hot espresso begins melting the cold gelato immediately, creating a combination of creamy sweetness, bitterness, and roasted coffee flavor.
Affogato is often served in a tall glass or small dessert dish. Diners may eat the melting gelato with a spoon, sip the coffee mixture, or do both. Biscotti may be served alongside it. Some cafés add liqueurs such as amaretto, Kahlúa, bicerin, or vin santo.
A common mix-up is calling affogato a standard coffee drink. In Italy it is generally treated as a dessert, although cafés elsewhere may list it among beverages. Cappuccino is a milk-based coffee, while tiramisu is a separate layered dessert.