Summer Signatures: Cold Brew and the Perfect Affogato

Coffee doesn’t stop at the espresso cup. When the days get long and warm, these are the two recipes we come back to — one takes a night, the other takes a minute.

Cold brew: patience in a jar

Cold brew is not iced coffee. Instead of brewing hot and cooling down, the coffee steeps in cold water for many hours. The result is smooth, naturally sweet and low in bitterness and acidity — a completely different expression of the same beans.

You’ll need

• 100 g of coffee, ground coarse — like coarse sea salt
• 1 litre of cold, filtered water
• A large jar or jug, and a paper filter or fine cloth

Method

1. Put the coffee in the jar, pour in the water and stir gently so all the grounds are wet.
2. Cover and leave to steep for 12–16 hours, in the fridge or in a cool place.
3. Strain slowly through the filter. Don’t squeeze the grounds — that adds bitterness.
4. Keep the concentrate in a closed bottle in the fridge and enjoy it within a week.

How to serve it

• Classic: one part cold brew, one part cold water, over plenty of ice.
• Creamy: over ice with cold milk.
• Sparkling: over ice, topped with tonic water and a twist of orange peel.

Our choice: the Classic Espresso Line for a chocolatey, rich cold brew; the 100% Arabica Line for a lighter, fruitier one.

Affogato: the Italian way to end a meal

Affogato means “drowned” — a scoop of gelato drowned in hot espresso. Three ingredients, one minute, and nothing to hide behind. That’s exactly why it has to be done right.

You’ll need

• One generous scoop of good vanilla gelato — fior di latte works beautifully too
• One fresh espresso (single or double) — or 50 ml of strong moka coffee
• A small glass or cup, chilled in the freezer

Method

1. Put the scoop of gelato in the chilled glass.
2. Brew the espresso directly before serving.
3. Pour it over the gelato at the table, and eat immediately with a small spoon.

The contrast is the whole point: hot and cold, bitter and sweet, the crema melting into the cream. A few shavings of dark chocolate or a spoonful of crushed amaretti are welcome; anything more gets in the way.

Our choice: the Classic Espresso Line. Its body and chocolate notes stand up to the gelato.