How much caffeine is in Traditional Italian Affogato al Caffè?

Each 4 oz serving serving contains approximately 120 mg of caffeine. For comparison, a standard 8 oz cup of brewed drip coffee contains around 95 mg. Actual content varies with dose, water temperature, and contact time.

What temperature should I use for Traditional Italian Affogato al Caffè?

Target 93°C (200°F). Below this range the cup tends toward sourness and thinness from under-extraction; above it, bitterness rises faster than sweetness.

How long should Traditional Italian Affogato al Caffè be extracted?

Extract for 25-30 seconds extraction using 9-Bar Espresso Machine, at a ratio of 1:2 Espresso Ratio over 1 scoop gelato, prepared at Fine Espresso. Time and ratio move together: a heavier dose generally wants a shorter contact time.

Why does my Traditional Italian Affogato al Caffè taste bitter?

Bitterness almost always indicates over-extraction. Shorten the contact time, lower the water temperature slightly, or grind coarser. Change one variable at a time so you can tell which one was responsible.

Who should avoid Traditional Italian Affogato al Caffè?

Contains dairy and sugar — not suitable for lactose-intolerant or diabetic diets without alternatives. Contains 120mg caffeine — avoid late at night despite being served as a dessert. This is general educational information, not medical advice — consult a qualified healthcare professional about your own circumstances.

Reviewed Aug 2026

Specialty Coffee · Milan, Italy

Traditional Italian Affogato al Caffè

Name: How to Brew Traditional Italian Affogato al Caffè
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 1 min
Yield: 4 oz serving
Cuisine: Milan, Italy
Ingredients: Base and proportions as specified: 1:2 Espresso Ratio over 1 scoop gelato; Whole milk, or an oat milk formulated for steaming; Filtered water for the base

Affogato

Hot meets cold: a rich scoop of artisanal vanilla gelato drowned in a hot shot of double espresso.

An elegant Italian dessert consisting of a scoop of premium fior di latte or vanilla bean gelato "drowned" (affogato) in a freshly pulled shot of double espresso.

Sensory profile

Comparative scale

sweetnessVery high

acidityModerate

bitternessModerate

bodyVery high

aromaVery high

You should taste

How it unfolds

Aroma → Palate → Finish

AromaBefore and as you sip

No distinct note recorded here — the aroma reads as pronounced rather than carrying a nameable character of its own.

pronounced aroma

PalateWhile it is in the mouth

pronounced sweetness

FinishAfter you swallow

pronounced body

Where it sits

Stronger than 331 of the 345 other drinks in the catalogue, and weaker than 11.

That is 120 mg in a 4 oz serving serving — a concentration of 101.7 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.

CupCura editorial estimate. No public food database has measured this preparation, so this figure is our own and is not independently sourced.

What people say

Reviews and photographs from people who have actually drunk this. Everything here has been read by a moderator before publication.

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Gear for this drink

Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2

Direct-drive motor with 64mm stainless steel flat burrs engineered specifically for pour-over, drip, and cold brew clarity.

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Traditional Italian Affogato al Caffè

Sensory profile

You should taste

How it unfolds

Where it sits

What people say

Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2

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