From above, four clear low glasses reveal creamy vanilla gelato, dark cookie crumbs, mascarpone rosettes, chocolate flecks, cocoa dust, and black-and-white cookie shards, arranged beside tiny pitchers of steaming espresso.

Black-and-White Big Apple Affogato

Name: Black-and-White Big Apple Affogato
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups espresso or very strong coffee brew and divide; 2 cups vanilla gelato or vanilla ice cream; 1/3 cup heavy cream chill; 1/4 cup mascarpone soften; 4 small New York-style black-and-white cookie crush 3; break 1 into shards; 2 oz semisweet chocolate finely chop; 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder reserve for dusting; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/8 teaspoon flaky sea salt; 1/3 cup, packed light brown sugar

Espresso, vanilla gelato, cookie crunch, and glossy coffee caramel.

Category Dessert

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 5 minutes

Style Italian

Technique Brewing

Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily recipe · October 01, 2026

A little about this dish

This celebratory affogato combines Italian espresso tradition with New York’s beloved black-and-white cookie. Hot espresso melts into cool vanilla gelato, while mascarpone cream, bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, and glossy coffee caramel create a dramatic black-and-white dessert perfect for October 1 Coffee Day.

Ingredients (for 4)

Espresso or very strong coffee — 1 1/4 cups — brew and divide
Vanilla gelato or vanilla ice cream — 2 cups
Heavy cream — 1/3 cup — chill
Mascarpone — 1/4 cup — soften
New york-style black-and-white cookie — 4 small — crush 3; break 1 into shards
Semisweet chocolate — 2 oz — finely chop
Unsweetened cocoa powder — 1 tablespoon — reserve for dusting
Pure vanilla extract — 1 teaspoon
Unsalted butter — 2 tablespoons
Flaky sea salt — 1/8 teaspoon
Light brown sugar — 1/3 cup, packed

Preparation

Step 1 — ❄️☕🥛

Chill four low dessert glasses for at least 10 minutes. Brew 1 1/4 cups espresso or very strong coffee; keep it hot and reserve 1 cup for serving and 1/4 cup for the caramel.
Step 2 — 🍯🧈🔥

Combine the reserved 1/4 cup espresso, brown sugar, butter, and flaky sea salt in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring until glossy and slightly thickened. Cool for 5 minutes.
Step 3 — 🥄🤍🌿

Whip the chilled heavy cream, softened mascarpone, and vanilla extract until soft, spoonable peaks form. Do not overwhip.
Step 4 — 🍪🍨🫙

Divide the crushed black-and-white cookies among the four chilled glasses. Add 1/2 cup vanilla gelato or ice cream to each glass.
Step 5 — 🍮☁️✨

Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of warm coffee caramel over each serving. Spoon or pipe the mascarpone cream over the gelato.
Step 6 — 🍫🌰🏺

Dust each glass with cocoa powder and sprinkle with finely chopped semisweet chocolate. Top with a black-and-white cookie shard, and place each glass beside a pitcher containing 1/4 cup hot espresso.
Step 7 — 🎉☕🍨

Serve immediately. Pour the hot espresso over the gelato at the table for a classic affogato effect.

A final fox tip

The black-and-white cookie is a classic New York bakery favorite, while affogato means “drowned” in Italian. This recipe makes approximately 575 calories per serving. Children can crush the cookies and decorate the glasses; an adult should handle the hot espresso and caramel. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free black-and-white cookies.