5 Ingredients or Fewer

Magic Shell

by:
July  8, 2013
5
2 Ratings
Magic Shell
Photo by James Ransom
  • Makes 1 cup
Author Notes

This is barely a recipe, but it really is magic. All you need are two parts coconut oil to three parts chocolate -- make as much or as little as you like. Pour it over your favorite ice cream, wait a few seconds, and there you have it: magic shell, made at home. —Marian Bull

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 bars (160 grams) good quality chocolate (I prefer dark)
  • 100 grams coconut oil
  • Ice cream, for serving
Directions
  1. Chop your chocolate and add it to a microwave-safe container with coconut oil. Melt in 30-second intervals until liquid.
  2. Pour over ice cream (or smoothies!), and watch it harden. Then crack it open. Magic!
  3. Because of the melting point of the coconut oil, the magic shell will stay liquid in a hot kitchen and solidify after sitting in a cold kitchen or the fridge. If your leftover shell hardens, just re-melt in the microwave.
Tags:

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • crazyblues
    crazyblues
  • daisybrain
    daisybrain
  • KtMcB
    KtMcB
  • SaucyCuisine
    SaucyCuisine
  • Cheryl Parrish
    Cheryl Parrish
Marian Bull

Recipe by: Marian Bull

writer

Popular on Food52

24 Reviews

Laila
Laila June 14, 2019
If you use "refined expelled pressed coconut oil", it does not have coconut flavor and very neutral and is used for meals and baking if you don't want the coconut taste. Also the 2:3 weight ratio oil to chocolate is the recommended ratio for choc shell in Cooks Illustrated. The coconut oil is what makes it harden fast when frozen, more chocolate will make it more like chocolate sauce.
 
Leonnora
Leonnora September 12, 2018
Isn't it time to put ounces in parentheses for your USA followers?
 
Luvtocook
Luvtocook August 12, 2014
Your ratio of chocolate to oil does not comport with the actual ingredients listed. Three parts chocolate is 150 grams, not 160. Or are your numbers just a rough estimate, i.e., the more chocolate the better?
 
dchu
dchu February 1, 2014
I don't much care for the coconut-chocolate flavor combination, so I used food grade cocoa butter from my local co-op (thanks Rainbow Grocery!) Yummy!! Disclaimer: I haven't tried the original Magic Shell, so can't say how this version compares.
 
Sherlock
Sherlock April 15, 2014
Coconut oil doesn't have a coconut flavor. If it does, it's not supposed to.
 
amy
amy May 16, 2016
I'll have to try a different brand of coconut oil. The Trader Joe's brand I've always used definitely tastes and smells like coconuts.
 
Jan
Jan January 10, 2014
what does 100 grams equal?
 
Patricia M.
Patricia M. April 15, 2014
3.5 ounces
 
crazyblues
crazyblues January 7, 2014
i'm thinking that in the tropics we might use cacao butter instead of coco oil, which down here at 9º north, is runny at room temp. Seems like the right taste and texture. ya think? might even be worth a trial up there, in the cold. (ha ha)
 
beekeeper
beekeeper October 29, 2013
This is everything it's cracked up to be. I'll never use chocolate sauce again.
 
daisybrain
daisybrain July 29, 2013
Yum. We put it on frozen bananas. Tomorrow, home-made drumsticks.
 
KtMcB
KtMcB July 24, 2013
Used some of MARIANs MAGIC shell to make a magical birthday cake for my husband tonight. Small chocolate lava cake, double dipped half a banana in magic, one dip with coconut and the second with crystallized ginger, and did a banan split on top of cake with ice cream and banana half with the final magic shell on top. With a candle of course!
 
SaucyCuisine
SaucyCuisine July 19, 2013
I put some leftover magic shell sauce in the fridge and reheated it in the microwave the next day. Magically, it was just as good the next day.
 
Carolyn V.
Carolyn V. July 18, 2013
Gonna try it with my 6 yr. old grandson. Funnn!
 
Cheryl P.
Cheryl P. July 16, 2013
This looks wonderful and fun!
 
Jan
Jan July 15, 2013
Is there a suggested "shelf Life"?
Do you recommend refrigerating extra? Thanks
 
susan V.
susan V. July 15, 2013
i dont have a microwave. can i melt in a saucepan?
 
Patty B.
Patty B. July 15, 2013
Yes, Melt it over a pan of water so the chocolate will not burn.
 
Laura
Laura July 14, 2013
could you use the flavored chocolates??.. the salted or maybe chili chocolate
 
RHafer
RHafer July 14, 2013
just made, delish!
 
Marian B.
Marian B. July 14, 2013
So glad you enjoyed it!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour July 9, 2013
I'm curious to know how you got your ratio? The Jeni's Splendid book uses a higher percentage of chocolate for the "bombe shell" recipe (340 g chocolate to 75 g coconut oil).
 
Marian B.
Marian B. July 14, 2013
This is the ratio that I've always used, but sometimes I use more or less -- it's more of a guideline.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour July 14, 2013
Thanks! I was thinking you played "mad scientist" with different ratios and found the perfect one.