It seems every nation has its spin on iced coffee, and Persia is no exception with its delightful take called Café Gelasè. This indulgent treat is the perfect mix of coffee and dessert, making it an ideal choice for a Sunday afternoon or a special dessert to impress.
My first taste of Café Gelasè was at the Sheraton Hotel in Tehran with my dad when I was just six years old. Despite my tender age, I still recall the deliciously smooth and cold blend of chocolate and coffee. “Six years old?!” you might exclaim. Well, in Iran, no one’s ever too young to enjoy tea or coffee!
When making your iced coffee, you can get creative with flavours. Choose from chocolate, vanilla, or even caramel ice cream, and let your imagination run wild with different syrups and toppings. The possibilities are endless! Share your flavour creations in the comments—I’d love to hear what inventive combinations you come up with!
Cook the most popular Persian dishes at home with the help of my e-book.
Time
Prep: 10 min
Cool: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours and 10 min
Ingredients (for 2 glasses)
4 tsp instant coffee (I used decaf)
4 scoops chocolate
Chocolate syrup
Spray cream (or whipped cream)
2 tsp ground pistachio to garnish (optional)
Method
Use decaf instant coffee to enjoy iced coffee without worrying about caffeine intake.
Brew the decaf instant coffee as per the instructions on the packaging.
Once ready, turn off the heat and allow the coffee to cool to room temperature.
Transfer the cooled coffee to cups, cover them, and place them in the fridge to chill further.
Tip: About 10 minutes before serving, put your serving glasses in the freezer to get them nice and cold.
Drizzle chocolate syrup inside the chilled glasses so it sticks to the sides.
Place two generous scoops of ice cream into each glass.
Pour the cold coffee over the ice cream.
Add a generous amount of whipped cream or spray cream on top.
Drizzle more chocolate syrup if desired, and garnish with crushed walnuts, pistachios, coffee beans, or your favourite toppings.
Enjoy! Savour your delicious, refreshing iced coffee!
I’d love to see your Cafe Gelase! Feel free to tag me with @igotitfrommymaman on Facebook or Insta so I can take a look and give you a thumbs up!
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