Kulfi Affogato

Aug 12

Affogato, also known as "affogato al caffe", means “drowned” in Italian. It usually means drowning gelato in coffee or a shot of hot espresso. The dessert seems to have made its way in the 1900s, some say with the arrival of espresso machines. Regardless of that, the person who invented affogato deserves a hat tip.

Kulfi, on the other hand, comes from the Persian word ‘qulfi’, which means “covered cup” (source: Wikipedia). It is an Indian frozen dessert, believed to have been introduced in the 16th century during the Mughal era. Simply put, Kulfi is ice cream that is not churned or whipped and is eggless.

Traditionally, kulfi is made by slow cooking, constantly stirring sweetened milk until it condenses and thickens. The slow cooking of milk caramelizes the sugar in the milk, and browns the milk proteins to give it the signature flavor. Originally, this reduced milk would be poured into earthen molds or kulhars and sealed, and lowered into an earthen pot or matka, and called matka kulfi. Matka kulfis from a popular joint in my hometown in Baroda were what a lot of my summer nights were filled with.

The kulfi recipe I share here does not require you to constantly stir the milk until your arm falls off, instead it uses canned condensed and evaporated milk. Industrialization is so amazing. The two kinds of milk along with whipped topping replicate the signature kulfi flavor.

Like perfect couples, Kulfi Affogato is a coming together of the opposites - the bitter and sweet, the warm and the cold. The play of the contradictories juxtaposes so beautifully, that you’ll want to uplevel your coffee break. The moment the cold kulfi and warm coffee start to become one and the lines begin to blur is my favorite moment to dig into the Kulfi Affogato. ☀️

KULFI AFFOGATO

serves 2-3

YOU WILL NEED

KULFI

12 oz evaporated milk
8 oz whipped topping or cool whip
12 oz can of condensed milk
0.5 tablespoons ground cardamom seeds
2 pinch of saffron strands
2 tbsp milk

AFFOGATO

350 ml strong black coffee (~1.5 cups)
6-8 chopped pistachios

METHOD

Thaw whipped topping or cool whip at room temperature. Whisk it to a smooth consistency.
Warm 2 tablespoons of milk , crush 2 large pinch of saffron strands and it to the milk. Let it bloom for few seconds. The milk will begin to turn yellow and fragrant.
In a large bowl, add whipped topping, condensed milk and a can of condensed milk, saffron dissolved in milk and half tablespoon cardamon seeds. Whisk everything together.
Transfer it to a freezer-safe container or a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight until solid.
When the kulfi is completely frozen, it is ready to serve. You can always have kulfi by itself, but trust me - an affogato elevates it to the next level.
Make black coffee - I prefer strong for the kulfi affogato, make sure to cool it slightly so it is not scalding hot. Put 1 or 2 large scoops of kulfi per serving in coupes or small bowls, pour over coffee. Garnish with some chopped pistachios. Serve immediately!