LOOK: Trying out UCC Café’s affogato desserts using Magnum Ice Cream

MANILA, Philippines – As someone who’s always on the fence between having dessert or a cup of coffee after a meal, an affogato is my safest and best choice to enjoy the best of both worlds. So as a fan of UCC Café’s coffee, I was pretty excited to discover that the Japanese coffee chain partnered with Magnum Ice Cream to level up their affogato desserts this summer.

UCC Café recently introduced the Magnum Affogato series in April with three new coffee-ice cream dessert selections available in all UCC stores nationwide until June 30, 2023.

Literally translating to “drowned,” affogato is an Italian dessert loved worldwide for drowning scoops of vanilla gelato in a shot of espresso. 

Adding their own twist to the classic affogato, UCC Café drowns Classic Mini Magnum ice cream bars – vanilla ice cream covered in a cracking chocolate shell – in shots of UCC espresso to create an “affogatable” sweet treat. Priced at P280 per order, there are three flavor combos to choose from, each one “brew-tifully” served on a wooden tray.

The Classic Magnum Affogato combines the Classic Mini Magnum with a silky whipped cream, a smooth chocolate sauce that’s not too overpowering, and a generous shot of espresso. It’s topped with chocolate pearls that add a crunchy texture to each spoonful. 

The crowd-favorite Tiramisu Magnum Affogato comes closest to the taste of authentic affogato. A Classic Mini Magnum, whipped cream dusted with cocoa powder, and a shot of espresso complete this simple yet special ode to the Italian delicacy. The espresso shot doesn’t fully melt the chocolate shell of the Magnum ice cream, so there’s also still a bit of crunch left in every bite. 

Onto the last flavor! Honestly, I find it rather difficult to marry the flavors of chocolate and orange, but surprisingly, I liked the Orange Magnum Affogato. The bitterness of the espresso shot helped to balance the strong, citrusy taste of the orange slices and orange juice, which mixed well with the sweetness from the whipped cream and Classic Mini Magnum. 

There were no leftovers present on my table before I exited the café! While I enjoyed all three combinations, the Classic Magnum Affogato ended up being my favorite because of its smooth blend of chocolate and coffee, and not to mention the added crunch from the chocolate pearls. It’s great for chocoholics looking for both a sweet fix and a kick of caffeine, or anyone looking for a simple treat to cool down on a hot summer’s day. 

To celebrate the launch of the Magnum Affogato series, UCC hosted a free self-photoshoot event with Klick! in May at the UCC Café Terraces in Forbes Town Center, Bonifacio Global City, where customers could also get a special discount for the treats. This will be followed by another photoshoot event in June, but further details are yet to be announced.

UCC was first introduced to the Philippines from Japan in 2000 under Mugen Group, the company that brought CoCo Ichibanya, Shaburi & Kintan, Mitsuyado Seimen, MOS Burger, Tendon Kohaku, and Yamato Bakery by UCC to the country. UCC sources their coffee beans exclusively from Jamaica and Hawaii. 

UCC recently opened a new store in Cavite. A full list of branches can be found on UCC’s website. –Rappler.com

Cheska Lingad is a Rappler intern.