Oh, Oh, Oh It's Magic, Ya Know - Magic Shell

I have a guilty pleasure.  OK, I have several, but I am only going to talk about 1 of them right now.  I love Magic Shell.  You know, the chocolate sauce you squeeze over your ice cream and it hardens into a protective shell you have to crack open to reach the ice cream?   Like the "Dilly Bars" or the Dipped Cones they have at Dairy Queen?  (Though DQ doesn't taste the way it use to when I was a kid)   But it's true.  I love it over Vanilla Ice Cream... I love it over Chocolate Ice Cream.... I even love it over Coffee Ice Cream.

Did you know you can make it at home?  It's really easy, and only needs 2 ingredients.  Yes, there are more ingredients in the store versions; including,but not limited to-- cocoa powder, lecithin, and sunflower oil.  Honestly there isn't anything particularly BAD in it, per se, but I like the fact that I can whip it up at home for about 1/2 the cost.  The bonus of making your own is the possible flavor combinations.  White Chocolate and Mint oil?  Bittersweet Chocolate with a hint of Orange oil?  Maybe Milk Chocolate with Smoked Salt?  None of those strike your fancy?  How about spiking it with a little Brandy, Drambuie, Rum or Chambord? (only about 2 tsp)

Yep, the possibilities are pretty much endless.  They key is the Coconut oil, which solidifies at 76 degrees.  Don't panic about the coconut oil, it's actually better for you than you have been led to believe.  True, coconut oil contains saturated fats, but these are medium and small chained fatty acids that are processed by the liver and used immediately for energy, they will not end up around your middle nor do they necessarily contribute to high cholesterol levels.... In fact a couple of studies have shown that Virgin Coconut oil may actually help reduce serum cholesterol.

Don't have coconut oil?  I have not tried it, but I am sure you could use a NON-Hydrogenated Shortening.  I believe Spectrum Naturals makes one.  Though your ending syrup may be a little hard at room temperature, 30 seconds in the microwave  and a little shake of the bottle should correct that.

I suggest avoiding butter in this application.  True it would probably work, but it's a little iffy.  Coconut oil and Non-Hydrogenated shortening do not contain water.  Butter, on the other hand, is up to 15% water and could possibly cause the chocolate to seize or become grainy.  Another disadvantage to butter is that the saturated fat in butter is not as healthy for you as that of the coconut oil. Butter contains longer chained saturated fatty acids which WILL appear around your mid-section and contribute to higher serum cholesterol levels.  And, well, let's face it, you're already going to be eating Ice Cream.  I'm just sayin'

Which brings me to your chocolate choices.  In this case, use anything that you would eat out of your hand.  Whether Chocolate Chips or chopped Chocolate bars.  I used Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips mixed 1/2 & 1/2 with 63% Bittersweet Guittard chips.  Cause that's just the way I roll.  :)

Magic Shell

8 oz (227g) (1 1/3 cups) Chocolate, either chopped or in chips
2.4 oz (70g) (1/3 cup) Coconut Oil
optional 2 tsp Liqueur of your choice

Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan over low heat, and melt until smooth. (You don't have to heat it much, the Coconut oil melts at 85 degrees and the Chocolate melts at 100 degrees)

Pour into a squeeze bottle.

Adorn your Ice Cream and the Ice Cream of those around you....  

Consume with relish. (Not pickle relish, I mean relish as in"enjoy")  LOL

Thanks to my friend Aleta for pointing out the original blog post at Skip to my Lou on FB... !  I am lovin' it.  It really is "Crazy Good and Super Easy"!  Of course, it's also kind of dangerous... LOL

Mangia!!
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