Gathered At My Table | seasonal recipes for the home baker

A spin on the classic Italian dessert, this simple, fall affogato is perfect for the holiday season. It comes together quickly, and features caramel gelato drowned in mulled apple cider and topped with whipped crème fraîche and a crunchy hazelnut streusel.

Happy Thanksgiving week to all!

I am very hot and cold when it comes to Thanksgiving celebrations. I love that Thanksgiving is essentially a holiday with celebrations that revolve completely around food. But, I tend to get fairly frustrated at the traditional fare (not surprising at all) and often feel like I’m straddling a line of trying to please everyone with all of Turkey Day classic dishes that, if I’m being completely honest, I don’t really like. On top of that, with a career in food media, I’ve already made at least three Thanksgiving feasts by the time the fourth Thursday in November actually arrives.

In case you haven’t figured it out through a glance of my recipe index, I like to buck tradition when it comes to food. This year, it’s our first Thanksgiving in Minneapolis and will just be me and the boys (Martin and Tahini) since all of our family is thousands of miles away in the regions of the country where there is still a touch of warmth. We’ll be staying in and watching movies with a big batch of bolognese simmering in the background. There will be caesar salad, garlic bread, tiramisu, and sparkling negronis and I cannot wait.

I wrote this recipe for those of you interested in spicing up your Thanksgiving table a bit. If you’re looking for a dessert closer to the classics, check out my pumpkin ricotta tart. This apple cider affogato recipe is for wow-ing your guest with a table-side dessert that takes almost no effort at all. Be a little bit fancy this year.

an italian affogato recipe

Affogato is an Italian dessert traditionally made by pouring hot espresso over gelato—the word affogato means “drowned” in Italian.

For this recipe, we’ll use whatever store-bought caramel gelato you like best. I really love Talenti and Dolcezza brands, but pick your favorite! Then we’ll mull some apple cider with a handful of spices just until its hot and spiced and your house smells like a holiday dream. A little whipped crème fraîche and hazelnut streusel round everything out with a little tang and a bit of crunch.

The only thing you’re baking here is the hazelnut streusel and you can make this in advance. It takes about 5 minutes to mix together the cookie dough and then you’re just going to clump it in a granola-like layer on a baking sheet and bake it until it’s golden. After the streusel has cooled, break it into chunks and transfer it a container. It will keep at room temperature for 4-5 days and you can just pop any leftovers in the freezer and keep it for sprinkling on ice cream or pies anytime.

Yield

Author

Anna Ramiz

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

15 Min

Inactive time

15 Min

Total time

45 Min

Apple Cider Affogato

Ingredients

for the hazelnut streusel

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (63 g) all purpose flour
1 cup (89 g) rolled oats
1/2 cup (70 g) chopped hazelnuts

for the mulled cider

4 cups apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cardamom pods
1 tsp whole cloves

for the whipped crème fraîche

8 oz crème fraîche
4 oz heavy cream
50 g powdered sugar

1 pint caramel gelato of choice (I like Dolcezza or Talenti)

Instructions

to make the hazelnut streusel

Preheat the oven to 350° and line a quarter sheet tray with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Beat for 1-2 minutes until light and sandy.
Add the flour and oats and mix again for about 30 seconds, until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold in the hazelnuts.
Scatter the streusel dough in clumps on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to brown.
Let the streusel cool completely and then break it up into pieces. Store in a sealed container for up to a week or for about 3 months in the freezer.

to make the mulled cider

Combine all cider ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for about 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and cover it with a lid.
Let the cider steep for 15-20 minutes and then strain out the spices. Serve warm.

to make the whipped crème fraîche and assemble

Combine crème fraîche, heavy cream, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk vigorously until the mixture has thickened and soft peaks form.
To assemble the affogatos: Place two scoops of gelato in a bowl or glass. Pour 5 oz of hot cider over top of the ice cream, dollop a spoonful of whipped crème fraîche on top followed by a handful of hazelnut streusel and serve immediately.

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Procedure

In a medium saucepan, heat cream, basil leaves, and lemon zest over medium-low heat until it is beginning to bubble around the edges of the pan and is hot to the touch. When hot and bubbly, remove from the heat and cover. Let steep for 30 minutes, then strain out basil and lemon zest.

Return the steeped cream to the medium saucepan and set it back over the heat. Bring the cream back to a simmer.

While the cream is heating, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, salt, and vanilla extract until a thick paste forms. When the cream is hot, slowly stream it into the egg mixture, whisking continually the whole time. Transfer the entire mixture back into the saucepan and return to heat.

Cook, stirring continually with a wooden spoon, over low-medium heat until the sauce is thickened, but do not bring to a boil. You can test if the sauce is ready by wiping your finger through the sauce along the back of the wooden spoon. If the line your finger creates holds, the sauce is ready. If it drips, continue cooking.

When the sauce is sufficiently thickened, remove from heat and immediately strain into a large mixing bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly over the top of the custard, cover and refrigerate, until completely cold (preferably overnight).

When the ice cream base is cold, transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form and then, with the mixer running, stream in the 1/4 cup of olive oil

Spread the whipped cream mixture into a 8x8” loaf pan, press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface, wrap tightly, and freeze for at least 12 hours.

To serve, scoop ice cream and drizzle with more olive oil.

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Apple Cider Affogato