This fun and easy homemade Magic Chocolate Shell (magically) hardens into a brittle candy shell when it’s poured over ice cream.
Today, I have another very fun, very easy single-serve ice cream topping recipe for you.
And in case you’re new around here, in this single-serve ice cream topping category already, we have:
- 30-second Chocolate Sauce
- Peanut Butter Sauce
- Nutella Sauce
- Hot Fudge Sauce
And now, Magic Chocolate Shell.
What’s magic chocolate shell?
If you’ve never had magic chocolate shell before, it’s a chocolate topping that (magically) hardens into a brittle candy shell when it’s poured over ice cream.
The chocolate has an incredibly satisfying snap when you break or bite into it, and it’s kind of like eating a chocolate-covered ice cream bar in a bowl.
The great thing about chocolate shell topping is that it’s one of the easiest ice cream toppings you can make. You just need a microwave and two ingredients, chopped chocolate (or high-quality chocolate chips) and coconut oil.
How does chocolate shell work?
Chocolate shell works because of the coconut oil in the syrup. Above 76°F coconut oil is liquid and pourable, so when heated with chocolate, it creates a smooth, pourable chocolate sauce. Below that temperature however, coconut oil is solid. So when the warm syrup hits freezing cold ice cream, it almost immediately solidifies, creating a hard candy shell.
Ingredient Notes
- Coconut Oil: You can use either refined or unrefined coconut oil in this recipe with great results. But unrefined coconut oil will give your chocolate shell a noticeable coconut flavor.
- Chocolate: Chopped chocolate or high-quality chips will both work just fine for this recipe.
How to Make Magic Chocolate Shell Topping
- Combine chocolate and coconut oil in a small bowl and microwave for 15 to 30 seconds, until chocolate is melty. Stir until completely smooth.
- Then pour over ice cream and give it a minute to harden. Crack into the shell and enjoy!
Serving Tip
- If you want to add some color or a different sort of crunch to your ice cream shell, add sprinkles, candy pieces, or crushed Oreos over the shell before it hardens. The coating will harden almost immediately, so have any toppings you want to add ready to go and sprinkle them over the shell as soon as you finish pouring it over the ice cream.
How many servings does this make?
This recipe makes one very (very) generous serving or two smaller servings.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. No changes are necessary to double or triple the recipe. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes. Chocolate shell can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
More Warm-weather Treats
- How to Make a Milkshake
- Frozen Hot Chocolate
- Homemade Pudding Pops
- Iced Mocha
- Banana Milkshake
Ingredients
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 1.5 oz) chopped semi-sweet, bitter sweet, or milk chocolate high-quality chips are fine
- ▢ 2 teaspoons refined coconut oil
Instructions
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and oil. Microwave in 15-second increments, stirring well after each, until chocolate is smooth and pourable.
- Pour over ice cream and allow a minute or two for it to harden completely. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Fudgy, chocolatey Homemade Pudding Pops are surprisingly easy to make and SO good. You just need a popsicle mold, some milk, sugar, a little cornstarch, and chocolate.
Hey, when was the last time you had a pudding pop?
Maybe it’s been years.
Maybe you’ve never tried one. Well, you should fix that today, because these homemade pudding pops are THE BEST THINGS.
Like, I don’t want to over-hype these popsicles, but they are legitimately one of my favorite recipes I’ve made for the blog.
I was so excited about how good they turned out that I made everyone within a 2-mile radius try one, and then I was so sad when I realized I had shared them all away and instantly regretted my generosity.
The next batch I make, I’m not telling anyone about and hoarding them away at the back of my freezer.
What’s Great About These Pudding Pops
- They’re surprisingly easy to make. Pudding pops are basically just frozen chocolate pudding , and all you need to make a killer pudding from scratch is a handful of pantry staples and about 15 minutes of cooking time.
- Tons of chocolate flavor. Since these popsicles are made with real chocolate in the pudding, they pack a huge chocolate punch that is incredibly rich and satisfying.
Tools and Ingredient Notes
- Popsicle mold: If you like making homemade popsicles, a good popsicle mold is a must. This is the one I have , and I’ve been really happy with it. It doesn’t pick up odors or colors and is easy to clean.
- Fine-mesh strainer: After making your pudding, you’ll want to strain it through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any lumps. If you don’t own one, you can find them anywhere kitchenware is sold, and they’re typically inexpensive and handy to have around ( this is the set I own).
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used to help thicken the pudding mixture. You cannot omit it from the recipe.
- Milk: Any percentage milk will work, but I prefer to use whole milk as it gives you a richer end result.
- Semi-sweet chocolate: Chopped chocolate or high-quality chips will work just fine here.
How to Make Pudding Pops
- Make your pudding base: In a medium saucepan, whisk together all ingredients except chocolate and vanilla until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon.
- Stir in the chocolate: Add the chocolate and cook until the chocolate is completely incorporated before removing from heat and stirring in vanilla.
- Strain the pudding: Run the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any cornstarch lumps and allow the pudding to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer pudding to a popsicle mold: Transfer the pudding to your popsicle mold, add sticks, and freeze until solid.
- Serve and enjoy: Remove popsicles from the mold and enjoy!
Can I make these without a popsicle mold?
Sure. You don’t need a store-bought popsicle mold to make popsicles. Small paper cups, ice cube trays, and baking tins can all be used as makeshift molds. ( Check out this article for more ideas. )
BUT, if you like making popsicles at home, consider just investing in a popsicle mold. It’s worth it.
How to store pudding pops?
If you’re going to eat your pudding pops fairly quickly, you can just store them in the mold. But if it’s going to take you more than a couple days to eat your way through them, remove all the popsicles and wrap them individually in cling wrap or wax or parchment paper and store them in an airtight freezer bag or container to prevent freezer burn.
More Frozen Desserts
- Two-ingredient Cookies and Cream Popsicles
- Red Wine Popsicles
- No-churn Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream
- Frozen Hot Chocolate
- The Best Oreo Milkshake
- Strawberry Banana Milkshake
Equipment
- Fine mesh strainer
- Popsicle mold
- Popsicle sticks
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup ( 100g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ ¼ cup ( 30g ) cornstarch
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ 3 cups milk whole preferred, but any percentage will work
- ▢ 1 cup ( 6oz ) chopped semisweet chocolate good-quality chocolate chips are fine
- ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly pour in milk, whisking continuously to keep lumps from forming.
- Heat over medium-low, whisking occasionally, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the heat low enough that the pudding thickens without coming to a simmer. If it begins to simmer, turn down the heat.
- Stir in chocolate and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until chocolate is completely incorporated. Stir in vanilla and remove from heat.
- Strain mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any cornstarch lumps and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour mixture into your popsicle mold, leaving about 1/2-inch of space at the top. Cover, add sticks, and freeze for at least four hours until solid.
- Run mold under warm water to loosen popsicles and gently remove from mold. Enjoy!
Notes
Pudding Recipe Adapted From Smitten Kitchen
15+ shredded chicken recipes to make with pre-cooked shredded chicken. Plus the very best method for cooking shredded chicken.
You all know that I’m a big fan of prepping ingredients in advance to save time and effort later. And one of the absolute best things you can make ahead of time is shredded chicken .
Having cooked shredded chicken in your fridge or freezer will shave 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time off a huge number of chicken dishes so you can have dinner on the table in around 20 minutes.
Whether you have extra rotisserie chicken that you need to pull off the bones before you make stock (or chicken carcass soup !) or a few chicken breasts you want to get out of your fridge, turning them into cooked shredded chicken will save you a whole lot of time down the road.
What’s the easiest way to cook shredded chicken?
If you’re starting with raw chicken breasts, the easiest (and best) way to cooked shredded chicken is a cross between pan-frying and something similar to poaching.
I wrote a whole post on How to Cook Shredded Chicken a while back, but you really don’t need a recipe to make it. Once you learn the method, you’ll never need the recipe again.
- Season boneless skinless chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and if you’d like, spices. Taco seasoning and Italian seasoning blends work great depending on what you’re making with the chicken.
- In a hot pan with a lid, drizzle a little oil or a spray of cooking spray and sear the chicken breasts on both sides until golden.
- Then add enough water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of the chicken breasts.
- Bring the water to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the chicken breasts reach 165°F using an instant-read thermometer . If the water evaporates completely, add a little more, but otherwise the chicken cooks without you having to touch it.
How to shred cooked chicken?
The simplest way to shred cooked chicken is with two forks. Just use one fork to anchor the meat and the other to shred it by pulling off small pieces of meat.
If you need to shred large quantities of chicken, the fastest way is (weirdly enough) to use a stand mixer with the beater attachment. If you want to see how that works, go check out my shredded chicken post where I cover it in way more detail.
How do I make shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken?
To get shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken, use the two-forks method. Simply pull large chunks of meat off the bones and then use two forks to shred.
Since rotisserie chicken is so tender, you can also just pull it apart with your hands if you prefer.
Shredded Chicken Recipes
Below are some of my favorite recipes where you can use shredded chicken. Most call for two cups of chicken, but there are a couple single-serve recipes in there that require less.
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
10 to 25-Minute Chicken Recipes
30-Minute or More Chicken Recipes
More Recipes to Make With Shredded Chicken
The following recipes do not specifically call for cooked shredded chicken but you can substitute shredded chicken or add it to the final recipe.
Magic Chocolate Shell (One or Two Servings)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup ( 1.5 oz) chopped semi-sweet, bitter sweet, or milk chocolate high-quality chips are fine
- 2 teaspoons refined coconut oil
Instructions
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and oil. Microwave in 15-second increments, stirring well after each, until chocolate is smooth and pourable.
- Pour over ice cream and allow a minute or two for it to harden completely. Serve and enjoy.
