Coffee poured over ice cream? I’m not making this up! Here’s how to make an affogato – your new favorite dessert + drink in one. This one’s extra special because it’s topped with homemade honeycomb candy.
Food is an important part of turning the moments I experience into memories. When I think of important occasions, like our wedding and meeting Pat’s parents for the first time, I remember what I was eating in detail.
Read on for the Honeycomb Affogato recipe!
Even when it’s not a life changing event, I still love creating memories around food. Even something as simple as having friends over for dinner is treated as a special occasion. I always want to give our guests memories that will last long after the meal is over.
Dessert is an essential part of that. We almost always offer our guests espresso with dessert. The affogato is my new favorite way to combine the two while saving on time in the kitchen. It takes hours to make a homemade pie, but just minutes to brew espresso and make these affogatos.
If you want to take things to the next level, making homemade honeycomb candy is easy. It can be made well in advance to cut down on time in the kitchen when you have guests over.
What is an Affogato?
If I lost you at affogato, perhaps I should back up a bit. An affogato is simply a beautiful coffee dessert made by pouring fresh espresso over ice cream. They originated in Italy, like so many of my favorite foods. The Italians sure know a thing or two about creating memories around food!
These affogatos are truly luxurious, so no skimping on the ice cream. The obvious choice was Häagen-Dazs. That sweet Madagascar vanilla is my love language. Their vanilla ice cream is rich and creamy and features simple premium ingredients. The ingredient list speaks for itself – cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. You won’t find any fillers like guar gum, gum arabic or locust- bean gum. After all, eating whole foods is the truest form of decadence.
You can find Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream at Safeway. Right now you can save $2 when you buy 3 or more Häagen-Dazs or other Nestlé ice cream products. Get the offer here.
Making Homemade Honeycomb Candy
To take this already wonderful marriage of coffee and ice cream to the next level, I decided to add some homemade honeycomb candy. You might recognize this candy under a different name, as it’s also called sponge candy, hokey pokey candy, honeycomb toffee and even cinder toffee! A bit of crunch with the silky smooth melty ice cream was the perfect combination. It’s surprisingly easy to make this airy and crunchy candy yourself. It only takes a few ingredients and a kitchen thermometer.
You can make the honeycomb candy in advance, just make sure you store it in an airtight container as it gets sticky and the sugar starts to dissolve when it’s out too long.
Just look at those beautiful air pockets and the golden color that give the candy its namesake:
Honeycomb Candy Step-by-Step Instructions
To make honeycomb candy, start by lining a small dish with foil and greasing it with a neutral cooking oil (like vegetable or canola oil).
Heat sugar, water and honey, corn syrup or golden syrup until the sugar is dissolved.
Heat to 300° Fahrenheit until it is golden brown.
Remove from heat and add baking soda. The mixture will bubble and foam.
Pour into prepared pan.
Once cool and hardened, break into pieces and enjoy!
Why this Affogato is the Best!
- First of all – coffee and ice cream. ‘Nuff said.
- Adding honeycomb candy takes it to the next level. A bit of crunch adds the perfect texture.
- It’s easy to make honeycomb candy. Don’t want to make your own? You can also use store-bought or even use toffee pieces as a substitute.
- Focus on quality ingredients – using high quality espresso and Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream makes this recipe truly luxurious
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How to Make an Affogato
Coffee poured over ice cream? Here’s how to make an affogato – your new favorite dessert + drink in one. This one is topped with homemade honeycomb candy.
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Method: No bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Honeycomb Affogato Ingredients
- 2 scoops (about 1/2 cup) Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream
- 1 ounce (1 shot) freshly brewed espresso
Homemade Honeycomb Candy Ingredients (Makes extra)
- 2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil such as canola or vegetable
- 1/3 cup (125 grams) of golden syrup or corn syrup or (100 grams) of honey
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (125 grams) of superfine sugar** (regular sugar will work in a pinch)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Special Equipment:
- Candy thermometer*
Instructions
How to Make a Honeycomb Affogato
- Scoop ice cream into heat proof mug or bowl.
- Pour espresso over ice cream.
- Top with crumbled honeycomb candy (recipe below).
How to Make Honeycomb Candy:
- Line a small dish with aluminum foil and brush lightly with a neutral oil like canola or vegetable.
- Combine golden syrup (or corn syrup or honey), sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat on low, stirring occasionally, until the syrup turns amber and reaches 300° Fahrenheit.
- Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Take care not to over mix as you will lose the ‘honeycomb’ effect. Mixture will expand and get foamy.
- Spread evenly into prepared pan and let cool.
- Once hardened, remove from pan and break into pieces for serving.
- Honeycomb candy will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for several days. If you leave it out too long at room temperature it will start to dissolve and get sticky.
Notes
*I use an infrared thermometer I got at a hardware store. It’s so much easier and more reliable!
** To make your own superfine sugar, pulse granulated sugar in a food processor.
This post is a collaboration with Häagen-Dazs. Save $2 on your next purchase with this offer. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to keep bringing you beautiful content!
P.S. – Craving some ice cream with your coffee? Pin this affogato recipe for later!
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