It seems during the last decade or so, America has gone completely crazy for coffee drinks. All sorts of overpriced caffeinated concoctions are foisted on the public under the guise of coffee. But there’s nothing you can buy that can beat this simple coffee dessert. Blanco y negro is the Spanish variation of affogato, an Italian creation consisting of an innocent bowl of ice cream drowned in hot espresso; affogato comes from the Italian verb affogare, meaning “to drown.” I’m not fond of dessert names that reference morbid things like drowning and death (as in “death by chocolate”), so I opt for the kinder, gentler Spanish interpretation that refers to snowy, white (blanco) sherbet mingling agreeably with the black (negro) espresso that’s poured over the top. They come together in an unexpected, but very winning, way.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 1 quart (1 liter); 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
To make the sherbet, in a medium saucepan, warm the milk, 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar, lemon zest, and cinnamon sticks, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour.
Step 2
Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer set over a medium bowl; discard the zest and cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Step 3
Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 4
In a small bowl, dissolve the 2 tablespoons sugar in the warm espresso.
Step 5
To serve, place 2 scoops sherbet in each stemmed glass or small, deep bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the sweetened espresso over the sherbet. Garnish with a few wisps of candied lemon peel, if using.
tip
Step 6
You might want to have extra espresso on hand, in case anyone wants seconds. They likely will.
