Gulab Jamun Affagato- The Hot Viral Winter Recipe

Gulab Jamun Affogato is a dreamy fusion of Italian coffee culture and classic Indian mithai, and it fits beautifully with The Coffee Shifu’s playful, modern coffee vibe. Affogato traditionally means “drowned” ice cream in hot espresso, and here the gulab jamun becomes the star sitting in a pool of intense coffee and cold cream

What is Gulab Jamun Affogato?

In this dessert, soft, syrupy gulab jamuns are paired with vanilla or kulfi-style ice cream and then “drowned” in a fresh shot of strong espresso or concentrated filter coffee. The result is a warm–cold, bitter–sweet experience with hints of cardamom, rose, and deep roasted coffee in every spoonful.​​

The Coffee Shifu Signature Twist

For The Coffee Shifu style, use a robust Indian medium-dark roast (or even a specialty filter blend) to stand up to the sweetness of the gulab jamun. Add just a spoon of warm gulab jamun syrup into the glass before pouring coffee; this lightly perfumes the drink with rose and cardamom and gives the coffee a luscious, dessert-like mouthfeel without extra sugar.​​

Ingredients (1-2 Servings)

• 2 small warm gulab jamuns, well-soaked but not breaking​​
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream or malai kulfi-style ice cream
• 1 fresh shot espresso (25–30 ml) or 40–50 ml very strong filter coffee​
• 1–2 teaspoons warm gulab jamun syrup (optional but recommended)​​
• Crushed pistachios or almonds for garnish (optional)
• A pinch of cardamom powder or rose petals for an extra festive touch​

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Prep the glass: Use a small transparent dessert glass so the layers show clearly. Chill the glass for 5–10 minutes if you want extra contrast between hot coffee and cold ice cream.
2. Base layer: Add 1–2 teaspoons of warm gulab jamun syrup to the bottom of the glass for aroma and sweetness.​​
3. Ice cream layer: Place one generous scoop of vanilla ice cream in the center. Gently nestle 1 warm gulab jamun on top; if they are big, cut them into halves and arrange them around the scoop.​
4. Brew the coffee: Pull a fresh espresso shot or make a small quantity of very strong filter coffee or moka pot coffee. It should be hot and intense because it will be diluted by the melting ice cream.​
5. The “affogato” pour: Bring the dessert to the table first. At the moment of serving, slowly pour the hot coffee around the ice cream and gulab jamun, not directly onto the top, so the layers stay visually appealing for a few seconds before they start to melt together.​​
6. Finish and serve: Garnish with crushed pistachios, a tiny pinch of cardamom, or a couple of dried rose petals. Serve immediately with a small spoon so your guest can scoop a bit of coffee, ice cream, and gulab jamun in every bite.​