Protein Affogato

Name: Protein Affogato
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 2 min
Yield: 2 Servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: For the frozen base (makes 2):; 1 cup plain Greek yogurt; 2 scoops French Vanilla Protein Coffee (one 30g serving); 2 tbsp milk of choice; For each serving:; 1 scoop Mocha Protein Coffee; 1/3 cup hot water - hot, not boiling

The Italian two-ingredient dessert, rebuilt at 33g of protein and 180 calories.

French Vanilla Protein Coffee

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DessertCategory

2 ServingsServings

2 HoursTotal time

33gProtein

You'll Need

Shallow freezer container
Whisk
Small glasses
Ice cream scoop

Ingredients

✓For the frozen base (makes 2):
✓1 cup plain Greek yogurt
✓2 scoops French Vanilla Protein Coffee (one 30g serving)
✓2 tbsp milk of choice
✓For each serving:
✓1 scoop Mocha Protein Coffee
✓1/3 cup hot water - hot, not boiling

Instructions

1Whisk the yogurt, French Vanilla Protein Coffee and milk until completely smooth.
2Freeze in a shallow container for 2 hours, stirring once at the 1 hour mark.
3When you're ready, whisk the Mocha scoop into 1/3 cup of hot water until dissolved. Let the water cool a minute off the boil first.
4Scoop the frozen base into a small glass and pour the hot mocha straight over it at the table.

An affogato is just something frozen with hot coffee poured over it, and the pleasure is entirely in the contrast - cold cream collapsing into hot coffee while you eat it. This version swaps gelato for a frozen vanilla protein cream and espresso for a mocha shot, which lands it at 33g of protein for 180 calories with no added sugar at all.

Nutrition Per Serving

Serving size	1 glass (1/2 base + 1 shot)
Calories	180
Protein	33g
Total carbohydrate	11g
Total sugars	4g (naturally occurring, from the yogurt and milk)
Added sugar	0g
Total fat	4g
Sodium	140mg

Half the frozen base - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, one scoop of French Vanilla Protein Coffee, 1 tbsp milk - plus one scoop of Mocha Protein Coffee in hot water. Both panels: 105 and 109 calories per 30g serving, 22g protein each, 0g sugar. A cafe affogato with gelato runs around 250 calories with 25g of sugar.

Why This Works

Hot, not boiling, is the one thing to get right. Whey seizes into threads in water above a hard simmer, and you'd be pouring that straight over the frozen base where it would be obvious. Let the kettle stand a minute and the powder dissolves clean.

Greek yogurt freezes better than cream for this because its protein structure holds air and resists forming big crystals - you get something dense and scoopable rather than icy, which is exactly what an affogato needs. It has to hold its shape for the first few seconds under hot liquid.

Tips From Our Kitchen

Pour at the table, in front of whoever's eating it. That moment is the entire dish.
Chill the glasses first. A warm glass melts the base before the coffee even lands.
Make the frozen base a day ahead and let it sit out 5 minutes before scooping.
A shot glass of the mocha alongside, for people to pour themselves, works better than pouring for them.

Swaps & Variations

Matcha affogato: High Protein Matcha for the hot shot instead of mocha. Green over white, and it looks incredible.
Mushroom coffee affogato: pour freshly brewed Protein Mushroom Coffee over the base for a lighter, earthier version.
Use the ice cream: swap the yogurt base for a scoop of our Mocha Protein Ice Cream.
Crunch: a few chopped toasted hazelnuts or cocoa nibs on top before pouring.

Common Questions

What is an affogato?

An Italian dessert - a scoop of something frozen with a shot of hot coffee poured over it at the table. The name means 'drowned.' The whole appeal is the hot-cold contrast as you eat it.

How much protein is in it?

33 grams - 11g from the French Vanilla in the frozen base, 11g from the Greek yogurt, and 11g from the Mocha scoop in the hot shot. All for 180 calories.

Can I use boiling water for the shot?

No. Let it stand a minute off the boil. Whey clumps in water that hot, and you'd see it immediately against the white base.

Can I use real espresso instead?

Absolutely, and it's the traditional version. You'll lose the 11g of protein the mocha shot contributes, bringing it to about 22g.

Is there added sugar?

None. Neither powder contains any sweetener and both read 0g of sugar. The 4g in the finished dish is lactose from the Greek yogurt and milk.

French Vanilla Protein Coffee

The smoothest way to get 22g of protein into your morning. Soft and creamy, with 22g of grass-fed whey protein and 4.5g of BCAAs to support muscle recovery and keep you full through the morning, plus organic adaptogen...

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