Turn Your Affogato Into Breakfast With One Simple Swap

Fresh, herbaceous ingredients like tomatoes and basil may spring to mind when you think of Italian cuisine, but the country offers world-class desserts, too. Affogato, sweet ice cream dripping with espresso, is a famed treat we can thank Italy for. Although it is regarded as a dessert, swapping ice cream for yogurt turns affogato into the perfect breakfast.

Meaning "drowned" in Italian, affogato is served at the end of a delicious meal. Though it consists of only two ingredients, the blend of cool, creamy ice cream and bitter espresso is the perfect nightcap. When you swap the ice cream for yogurt, however, it brings a delicious bliss to start out your day with. An espresso is already an important breakfast component for many people, so why not make it a little more enjoyable?

The key to swapping out ice cream is to use creamy yogurt that mirrors ice cream's richness. There are tons of frozen yogurt brands you can choose from, but if you'd like to make your own, we recommend using Greek yogurt for extra creamy homemade froyo. The protein-rich, fatty ingredient has a low water content, giving it a velvety thickness that makes the perfect alternative for ice cream. Blend the yogurt with heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract before freezing it. Making the affogato itself is simple — add a scoop of yogurt into a bowl, pour a shot of steamy espresso on top, and savor the goodness.

A classic affogato consists of vanilla ice cream and unsweetened espresso, but if you're eating it for breakfast, you can spruce it up as you see fit. The deep, dark richness of espresso perfectly balances out sweet vanilla ice cream or yogurt. If you want to explore more flavors that aren't solely saccharine, pair the shot of espresso with salted caramel frozen yogurt. The toffee-like taste complements the espresso's chocolatey flair, making for a rich, delicious breakfast.

The nuttiness of caramel makes it a great pairing for espresso, but if you desire earthiness that's a little more green and fresh, opt for pistachio frozen yogurt. The mild, slightly sweet flavor allows the bold espresso to take center stage while bolstering it with a dash of butteriness. A good affogato only consists of a creamy base and coffee, but you can also elevate it with chopped hazelnuts, chocolate shavings, and crushed biscotti.

If you want to enjoy the dish after brunch on a lazy weekend, combine affogato and Irish coffee for the ultimate boozy treat. Stir the espresso with a shot of whisky and mix it with some brown sugar and cream before pouring it over the frozen yogurt. For a boozy brunch item that's a little sweeter, mix the espresso with a shot of dark or spiced rum.