Homemade Magic Shell – It’s Too Easy

The magic chocolate shell really seems like a miracle. The saturated fat (usually coconut oil) and chocolate are melted and stirred, and the shiny sauce is poured over something cold (usually ice cream) to form a hard caramel glaze that can be broken with a spoon. It’s fun, interactive and delicious.

How does the magic shell work?

The magic of the magical shell is actually a science, like everything that we consider magical. One of the two ingredients in the dessert topping is coconut oil, a saturated fat. Saturated fats don’t have the healthiest reputation, but that only means that three of the four bonds that any carbon atom in a fat molecule has are “saturated” with hydrogen atoms, meaning they can’t form double or triple bonds. with their fellow carbon atoms. These fats have long carbon chains linked by single bonds. These long chains can snuggle together, unlike unsaturated fats, whose chain has all sorts of twists and turns due to the double and triple bonds.

When the molecules are pressed against each other, they solidify, turning into a liquid only when energy (heat) is applied. The twisted, twisty molecules of unsaturated fats can’t cling to each other, so they stay liquid even at room temperature.

By combining chocolate (which is also solid at room temperature) with saturated fats like coconut oil, you get a substance that flows beautifully when heated, but solidifies quickly at lower temperatures. That’s why the magic shell “magically” forms a hard, shiny shell the moment it hits your ice cream.

How to make a magic shell

All you have to do to make the magic shell is mix about one part coconut oil with two parts chocolate, usually by volume. For a small amount of magic shell, I used a ratio of 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips to 1 teaspoon of solid coconut oil, but this is of no use if you are grinding a good bar of dark foods. When in doubt, start with 2 tablespoons of fat and 7 ounces of chocolate. Place it in the microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring between each, until completely smooth.

Light chocolate magic shell

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 7 oz chocolate (dark or milk will do)
• A pinch of salt

Add all three ingredients to a microwave safe bowl and heat up a nuclear bomb for 15 seconds. Stir and repeat as many times as needed until you get a smooth, flowing sauce. Pour over ice cream, make a quick cup of peanut butter , or put it on top of your morning yogurt . (Then try the magic pervert shell , which is made with my favorite saturated fat, duck fat.)