Homemade chocolate shell is the recipe you didn't know you needed! Dress up ice cream, frozen yogurt, or frozen fruit with a drizzle of this chocolate sauce that hardens into a delicious shell when cold! This recipe needs only two ingredients, is really easy to make, and it makes eating bowls of ice cream that much more fun!
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This recipe is perfect for hot summer days or any time you want to take your ice cream up a notch! This recipe is based off store-bought Smucker's Magic Shell and can be whipped up super easily, especially when you use my method for how to melt chocolate!
Ingredients
- Good quality chocolate (or chocolate chips)
- Coconut oil
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Chop the chocolate into smaller chunks. Combine the chopped chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl.
Place the bowl of chocolate in a baking dish or bowl containing just-boiled hot water. You can also rest the bowl on the rim a large measuring cup or pot filled with hot water. Be careful not to let any water get into the chocolate!
Allow the heat from the hot water to melt the chocolate. Stir occasionally with a spoon or rubber spatula until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Remove the bowl of chocolate sauce from the hot water and wipe away any water from the outside of the outside of the bowl. Allow sauce to cool slightly before transferring to a jar.
Helpful Hint: For a thicker sauce, reduce the amount of oil added to the chocolate. For a thinner sauce for a thinner shell, add a bit more oil.
How To Serve It
It really can't get any easier. Simply drizzle or spoon the chocolate sauce over your favorite ice cream and watch the sauce magically turn into a shell! Now you can have the fun of cracking the chocolate shell with your spoon before you devour it!
You can even dress up the chocolate sauce to make the chocolate shell even more fun! Spoon or drizzle chocolate sauce over your ice cream, add chopped nuts or sprinkles while the sauce is still liquid and your toppings will become one with the shell!
One variation I really enjoy is stirring some puffed rice cereal into the sauce before pouring that over the ice cream. Then every spoonful has some crisp to go with the chocolate crunch! If you try this, I'd recommend scooping some chocolate sauce into a separate bowl and mixing it with the rice cereal so that the chocolate sauce in the main jar stays "pure".
Important Tips
Store the chocolate sauce in a jar at room temperature. Because the chocolate sauce hardens when cold, it's important to NOT store it in the refrigerator! Store the chocolate sauce in a jar or sealable squeeze bottle in your cupboard, stirring or shaking each time before using.
Water and chocolate do not mix! Water will cause the chocolate sauce to "seize" and it will end up grainy and stiff, not smooth and silky, and there is no way to fix it. Be careful to not get any water into your chocolate sauce.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes! Keep in mind that chocolate chips will take a little longer to melt because of the emulsifiers they contain, but they will work!
I used a 72% dark chocolate because the sweetness from the ice cream balances the bitterness of the chocolate. However, if you prefer something less bitter, try 65% or a semi-sweet chocolate.
Yes, you can use a neutral flavored oil (do not use olive oil), but the chocolate may not set into a shell as quickly or be as crisp as using coconut oil.
To make the sauce thinner, add more oil, one teaspoon at a time, stirring well after each addition, until you reach the desired consistency. To make the sauce thicker, reduce the amount of oil you mix into the chocolate.
Yes! Just make sure you fruit is cold and either drizzle the sauce over it or dip the fruit into the chocolate sauce. You can also put the chocolate-coated fruit in the freezer for a few minutes to make sure the chocolate hardens if your fruit isn't cold enough.
Place your jar of chocolate shell sauce in a larger bowl containing hot water (I use just-boiled). Allow the heat to melt the chocolate and stir occasionally until it has completed melted and smooth again.
More Ice Cream and Chocolate Recipes
Looking for other delicious dessert ideas? Take a look at these recipes:
With only two ingredients, there's no excuse not to try this recipe! It's like magic watching the silky chocolate sauce transform into a shell that is fun and satisfying to crack! Whether it's just a plain chocolate shell or whether you add puffed rice cereal, chopped nuts, or sprinkles, eating ice cream is definitely going to be more fun!
~ Lisa.
Recipe
Homemade Chocolate Shell
Ingredients
- 200 grams dark chocolate
- 50 grams coconut oil
Instructions
- Chop the chocolate into smaller chunks for easier melting. Combine the chopped chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl.
- Set the bowl of chocolate in a baking dish or pan, or over a pot or large measuring cup filled with just-boiled hot water.
- Let the chocolate melt from the residual heat from the water, stirring occassionaly with a spoon or rubber spatula until the chocolate is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Remove the bowl from the hot water and wipe away any water from the outside of the bowl. Let cool slightly.
- Transfer the chocolate sauce to a jar or food container and store covered at room temperature.
Notes
- Make ¼ of the recipe for 2- servings with no sauce leftover.
- 72% dark chocolate works well for this recipe since the sweet ice cream balances the bitterness. For a slighter sweeter sauce, you can go with 65% or semi-sweet.
- 200 grams of chocolate is approximately 1 cup of chocolate chips
- 50 grams of coconut oil is approximately 6 tablespoons
- Add less oil if you want the sauce to be thicker, add more if you want it thinner.
- Rest the bowl of chocolate and coconut oil in a baking dish or on top of a pot or large measuring cup filled with just-boiled hot water. No need to use the stove or microwave!
- Store the chocolate sauce in a jar at room temperature. Because the chocolate sauce hardens when cold, it's important to NOT store it in the refrigerator! Store the chocolate sauce in a jar or sealable squeeze bottle in your cupboard, stirring or shaking each time before using.
- Water and chocolate do not mix! Water will cause the chocolate sauce to "seize" and it will end up grainy and stiff, not smooth and silky, and there is no way to fix it. Be careful to not get any water into your chocolate sauce.
- If your chocolate shell sauce solidifies at room temperature, fill a larger bowl with hot water and set your jar of chocolate in it. As the hot water melts the chocolate, stir with a spoon until it is liquid and smooth again.
- Variations:
- Sprinkle chopped nuts or colored sprinkles over the chocolate sauce before it hardens.
- Scoop some chocolate sauce into a separate bowl and mix in some puffed rice cereal before spooning it over the ice cream.
Thanks for stopping by! If you make this dish or any of my other recipes, I would love it if you could take the time to comment and rate it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Jerrica says
This worked awesome! We used it as a topping option for ice cream sundaes at my daughters 7th birthday party yesterday! Many compliments!
Thanks so much, Jerrica!