Elevate Your Affogato With A Splash Of Bourbon

There are many Italian desserts everyone should try, like panna cotta and panettone, and then there's affogato. In its traditional form, affogato is purely vanilla gelato or ice cream topped with an espresso shot and sometimes liqueur. You could elevate an affogato with different flavors of gelato or chocolate syrup, but above all of the other options, a splash of bourbon will give the dessert a boozy twist and enhance its flavor.

Bourbon is an ideal liquor to add to desserts like affogatos because of its deep, sweet flavor and the notes of butter, caramel, and vanilla that are found in many varieties. The alcohol also has strong woodsy notes that cut through the sweetness of the gelato or ice cream and the acidity of the espresso. These are basically the same reasons why the booze is widely used in other types of desserts like baked goods. Bourbon also has a high alcohol content (between 40%-75% ABV), so it only takes a splash to add those flavors and booziness to any affogato, which is good because you don't want to get drunk off dessert (or maybe you do — no judgment).

There are many types of bourbon out there, so consider our ranking of the best bourbon brands if you don't already have a go-to bottle. According to our ranking, 1792 embodies sweet and caramel notes if you want a bourbon on the sweeter side. Some recipes for bourbon affogatos use Woodford Reserve while other brands that are popular to pair with desserts include Angel's Envy and Noah's Mill. Whatever bourbon you prefer to sip or have at home should work for this elevated dessert. Or consider the best bourbons to pair with vanilla ice cream if you want to make a traditional rendition of the dish.

You can keep it classic with the best vanilla ice cream for affogatos — but we're already putting a twist on the affogato with bourbon, so let's keep it up. Instead of vanilla ice cream or gelato, go for a coffee variety to get a double dose of caffeine. To match the flavors of bourbon, consider butter pecan, brown sugar, or caramel varieties of gelato or ice cream. And if you want to add a few more ingredients to make it even more complex, consider pecan liqueur or chocolate bitters for a flavorful touch of more alcohol. Finally, go with crumbled pecans, chocolate shavings, or espresso powder as a garnish to finish off your bourbon affogato.