Give Vanilla Ice Cream A Coffee Upgrade With This Single Ingredient

If your favorite ice cream flavor is coffee, it wouldn't be a surprise since it's one of the most popular flavors in the U.S. However, if you can't find it in your local grocery store or the price is a little steep compared to the chocolate or vanilla flavors, we have a quick fix for you. Go ahead and put the vanilla ice cream in your cart to make a DIY coffee ice cream with just one other ingredient. Yep, you guessed it, it's coffee. According to Eric Dorval of Miami's V Gelato, either instant espresso or instant coffee will work.

Though both are relatively the same, instant espresso most likely offers a stronger coffee flavor. "But you could probably get the same results by means of dosage," Dorval noted. 

To incorporate the coffee flavor into the vanilla ice cream, avoid simply stirring the powder into the ice cream — unless you want a crunchy texture and inconsistent flavor. Dorval advised, "For it to properly blend with the ice cream, you would want it to dissolve in liquid first, so you don't get large espresso crystals in your vanilla ice cream."

Once you've dissolved the coffee powder in a small amount of water, Eric Dorval said, "I would suggest the stand mixer method of putting the vanilla ice cream and instant coffee in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and let it mix for a minute or two at a gradual, slow to medium speed." That way, the flavor will not only be spread throughout, but the ice cream will have taken on a creamy, soft serve consistency. If you prefer harder ice cream, though, just stick it in the freezer for a few minutes. 

But there's an easier way to add coffee flavor to vanilla ice cream — use the instant espresso (or coffee if you don't have espresso) to make an affogato. Dorval said, " ... [That] would be your best option for deliciousness." Affogato can be made with brewed coffee instead of instant, too — it doesn't have to be espresso if you don't have the necessary equipment. You could also add a bit of coffee-flavored liqueur to make a boozy adult affogato or put ice cream and coffee in the blender to make a copycat McAffogato (a coffee milkshake).