Affogato is the Italian dessert made by pouring hot espresso over gelato or ice cream.
The name comes from the Italian word affogato, meaning “drowned,” describing the way the scoop becomes partly submerged in coffee. Vanilla gelato is a common pairing, although other flavors can be used.
Affogato is often served as a simple dessert after a meal rather than treated as a conventional coffee drink. The contrast between cold, sweet gelato and hot, bitter espresso is its defining feature.
It is sometimes confused with an iced coffee or a dessert coffee topped with whipped cream. Those drinks may contain similar ingredients, but an affogato specifically centers on a scoop of gelato or ice cream with espresso poured over it.