Dulce De Leche Affogato

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Brimming with caramel goodness from the ice cream base to the drizzle on top, this Dulce de Leche affogato is a coffee caramel ice cream lovers dream.

I have yet to meet an affogato that I don’t like. I must admit, ice cream on its own is just ok. Now before you come for me, remember that I wrote an entire book of beloved no-churn ice cream recipes (that you can purchase HERE… shameless plug 😉), so I do LIKE ice cream. It’s just not my favorite dessert (that title is and always will be attribute to the totally incredible COOKIE). I adore coffee, and a dark, bold espresso is my absolute dream brew. When poured over sweet ice cream, it marries into a dessert that is so decadent and melty and delightful in the very best way. This Dulce de Leche affogato takes a milk caramel ice cream base and swirls in homemade caramel. More caramel plus some chocolate shavings top this creation and then the espresso is poured over for that incredible final touch. If you love an affogato, you will adore this recipe. Let’s make it.

What you'll need to make this dulce de leche affogato:

Heavy Cream

Dulce de Leche (I use this Nestle one, but you can also make your own)

Pure Vanilla Extract

Half and Half

Caramel Sauce (my favorite and super easy 3-Ingredient Caramel is what I used here)

Chocolate of choice (I used a dark chocolate bar to compliment the sweetness of the caramel, but you can use milk or semisweet)

Espresso Shots (now if you do not have an espresso maker, don’t worry! Simply brew a strong shot of a bold drip and that will work as well. See below for details)

The Ice Cream

Begin by lining an 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Alternatively you can use freezer safe Tupperware or a reusable ice cream container to store your ice cream in as well.

Whip the heavy cream in a medium sized bowl until stiff peaks form. Set this aside. In a small bowl, combine your Dulce de Leche, a, pure vanilla extract, and half and half. Whisk until combined, about 30 seconds. Pour this into the prepared heavy cream, and gently mix until fully combined.

Pour half of the prepared ice cream into your parchment lined dish, and swirl with about 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce. Repeat with the remaining ice cream and two additional tablespoons of caramel sauce. Swirl these together, and freeze for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.

The Caramel Sauce

This liquid gold is none other than my 3-Ingredient Caramel Sauce. It’s Super easy, packed with buttery flavor, and comes together in about ten minutes. You can pop it into the freezer to speed up the cool time, or simply let it rest overnight and make your ice cream in the morning. I used about ¼-1/3 cup of caramel in this ice cream swirl (though you swirl in as much or as little as you want to!), so you’ll have some leftover. This is never a bad thing in my opinion, but if you want to make less simply cut the recipe in half. You’ll have a little leftover for the drizzle on top.

The Espresso

Hands down my favorite espresso is Good Bean Coffee. They locally roast their coffee here in southern Oregon, and it’s unlike any espresso you’ve had. My go-to is their Decaf French Roast, because it is the boldest darkest blend without the caffeine that I get no energy from (true story 😆). But if you prefer your coffee caffeinated, as most of you probably do, they have a regular French roast and plenty of other options to satisfy even the pickiest of espresso lovers. Head over to Good Bean and let them know I sent you. This is not sponsored, I just adore my local coffee houses and love to give them a little online love whenever I can.

Putting it all Together

Now is the fun part: putting this bad boy together. Start by allowing your ice cream to thaw for about five minutes on the counter. This makes it scoop-able, and trust me, it’s still nice and solid. Drizzle a little homemade caramel over your scoop (or two) of ice cream, and sprinkle some chocolate shavings on top if desired. Pour one freshly pulled espresso shot over your ice cream, and dig in! It’s such a creamy, melty, coffee-y treat. And yes, coffee-y is a word. I just made it one.

No espresso maker? Don’t even fret. You can brew a strong “shot” of drip by using a bold bean and limited water. I usually add four ounces of water to every 2 tablespoons for my drip-based affogato (or faux-fogatto… Yeah, I’m full of ‘em today). This allows the coffee flavor to still be prominent in this dessert even without a legitimate coffee shot. It’s delicious either way.

The Dietary Substitutions

I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest. 

As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of dairy. 

Loving it Vegan has a vegan Dulce de Leche recipe that would work in this ice cream. Simply add ½ cup of the Dulce de Leche to 10 ounces of Nature’s Charm Sweetened Coconut Condensed Milk instead of the 14 ounces, and continue with the recipe. There could be a slight coconut flavor but it will be well camouflaged in this recipe by the Dulce de Leche. .

Enjoy Life makes a dairy free + allergen friendly semi sweet chocolate chip that would work great in this recipe if you want the chocolate shavings.

Silk Plant Based Half and Half Alternative is a great alternative to dairy based cream in this ice cream.

Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is also a great option for the ice cream base.

If you loved this Dulce de Leche Affogato recipe, I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review. 

Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations. 

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