Affogato Sundae

Ingredients

• 1½ tbsp (about 8 g)Dunkin’ Donuts Bakery Series Caramel Coffee Cake coffee
• 90 g (1 cup)rolled oats
• 60 g (½ cup)plain flour or gluten-free flour
• 50 g (¼ cup)brown sugar
• 50 g (¼ cup)white sugar
• A generous pinchsalt
• 70 g (½ cup)peanuts or sliced almonds
• 85 g (6 tbsp), chilled and cubedbutter
• 160 ml (⅔ cup)double cream
• 60 ml (¼ cup)corn syrup
• 1 shotespresso
• 50 g (¼ cup)white sugar
• 70 g (⅓ cup), packeddark brown sugar
• 25 g (¼ cup)unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ tspkosher salt
• 198 g (7 oz), chopped or in chipssemisweet chocolate
• 28 g (2 tbsp)unsalted butter
• 1 tspvanilla
• 4 scoopsvanilla ice cream
• 240 ml (1 cup), to servemilk
• To tastewhipped cream
• 4 shots, or 240 ml (1 cup) strongly brewed coffeeespresso
• To tastemocha fudge sauce
• To tastecoffee streusel

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Make the streusel

   Put all the streusel ingredients in a bowl. Rub the butter into the other ingredients with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

3. 3

   Spread on tray

   Transfer the streusel to a baking tray and spread it out evenly.

4. 4

   Bake until golden

   Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden brown.

5. 5

   Cool the streusel

   Take the tray out of the oven and leave the streusel to cool completely. Break it into pieces and keep it in an airtight container until needed.

6. 6

   Combine sauce ingredients

   Add all the sauce ingredients except the chocolate and butter to a saucepan.

7. 7

   Whisk over heat

   Set the pan over a medium-high heat and whisk until the sugar and cocoa powder dissolve.

8. 8

   Bring to boil

   Bring the mixture to a boil.

9. 9

   Simmer the sauce

   Lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes.

10. 10

    Finish the sauce

    Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate and butter.

11. 11

    Cool the sauce

    Pour the sauce into a glass jar and leave it to cool completely before using.

12. 12

    Add the ice cream

    Put one generous scoop of vanilla ice cream in each of four serving mugs.

13. 13

    Pour over coffee

    Pour about 60 ml (¼ cup) of milk over each scoop, followed straight away by one shot of espresso or 60 ml (¼ cup) of strongly brewed coffee.

14. 14

    Finish and serve

    Top each sundae with whipped cream, streusel and mocha fudge sauce, then serve immediately.

What is an affogato sundae?

An affogato is an Italian-style dessert of ice cream or gelato “drowned” in hot espresso. This American-inspired version builds that simple pairing into a more elaborate sundae, with milk, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and a crunchy topping.

The contrast is the point: hot coffee begins to soften the ice cream while the sauce and streusel add rich, sweet and crisp layers.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 720 calories, 12g protein, 76g carbs, 43g fat.

The ice cream, sugars, oats and flour supply much of the carbohydrate; cream, butter, chocolate and nuts contribute much of the fat, while the dairy, nuts and chocolate provide some protein. Pair a serving with fresh fruit if you want a lighter accompaniment rather than adding another rich topping.

The coffee streusel

Coffee flavour: the recipe uses caramel coffee cake-flavoured coffee alongside oats, flour, sugars and nuts. Rub in the chilled butter until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, rather than working it into a smooth dough.

Baking: spread the mixture in an even layer so it browns consistently. Stir it once halfway through the 30-minute bake, then let it cool fully before breaking it up; it becomes crunchier as it cools.

Getting the fudge sauce right

Sugar and cocoa: whisk these with the cream, corn syrup and espresso over medium-high heat so the cocoa disperses and the sugar melts before the mixture boils.

Chocolate finish: simmer for about 5 minutes over medium heat, then take the pan off the hob before stirring in the chocolate and butter. Let the sauce cool completely in its jar before using.

Choose your coffee

Espresso: one shot goes into the sauce, and four more are poured over the assembled sundaes. Brew these close to serving time so they are hot when they meet the ice cream.

Strong coffee: the serving instructions allow 60 ml (¼ cup) of strongly brewed coffee per mug instead of espresso. Keep the coffee concentrated enough to hold its flavour alongside the milk and sweet toppings.

Assemble just before eating

Order matters: put the ice cream in the mugs first, add the milk, then pour on the espresso or coffee straight away. Finish with whipped cream, streusel and fudge sauce.

Serve immediately after adding the hot coffee. The ice cream will start to melt, which is part of the affogato effect, while the streusel is at its crispest before it absorbs moisture.

Serving ideas

Serve the sundaes in mugs or heatproof glasses with spoons, so the melting ice cream and coffee can be enjoyed together. The recipe is rich, so a smaller mug can help keep the layers neat.

For a simple contrast, offer fresh berries alongside the dessert. Add them separately rather than piling them into the mug, where their juice could soften the streusel.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use chilled, cubed butter for the streusel so it rubs into the dry ingredients without turning greasy.
• Spread the streusel evenly on the baking tray and stir it once halfway through baking.
• Allow the streusel to cool fully before storing it so trapped warmth does not soften it.
• Whisk the sauce as it heats to help the cocoa and sugar dissolve smoothly.
• Brew the espresso just before assembly so it is hot when poured over the ice cream.
• Set out all four mugs before serving, as the assembled sundaes are best eaten straight away.

Variations

• Use almonds: swap the peanuts for sliced almonds in the streusel.
• Try gluten-free flour: use the suggested gluten-free flour in place of plain flour for the streusel.
• Brew strong coffee: use 60 ml (¼ cup) strongly brewed coffee per serving instead of an espresso shot.
• Change the ice cream: use a different flavour if you want to alter the base of the sundae.
• Add extra crunch: scatter a little more cooled streusel over each serving just before eating.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Warm butter in the streusel: it can make the mixture greasy; start with chilled butter cut into cubes.
• Uneven streusel layer: some bits may brown faster than others; spread it evenly and stir once during baking.
• Using streusel while warm: it will not have finished crisping; cool it completely before breaking it up.
• Boiling the sauce for too long: it may become overly thick; simmer it for about 5 minutes as directed.
• Adding chocolate over the heat: it can catch on the pan; remove the sauce from the heat before stirring in the chocolate and butter.
• Assembling too early: the streusel can soften and the ice cream melt; top the sundaes just before serving.

How to store

Keep cooled streusel in an airtight container at room temperature and store the cooled mocha fudge sauce in a covered jar in the fridge. Rewarm the sauce gently until spoonable, and assemble each sundae only when ready to serve; the finished dessert is not suited to storage.

Frequently asked questions