How to Make Homemade Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping

Experiment with different types of chocolate.

Pouring melted chocolate over ice cream -- as tasty as it may sound -- will result in a thick topping that you'll need a chisel to break apart. However, you can combine your favorite milk, dark or white chocolate with a little fat to make an ice cream topping that hardens into a delicious, breakable shell. Even better, you can prepare your homemade ice cream shell topping without artificial flavors and colors.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup water
• Double boiler
• Chocolate
• Butter

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a simmer in the bottom of your double boiler.

2. Melt the butter in the top of the double boiler. Use about 1 tbsp. butter per serving.

3. Add 1/4 cup chocolate per serving to the melted butter. Use chocolate chips, chunks or broken chocolate bar pieces.

4. Stir the mixture constantly as the chocolate slowly melts into the butter. Don't let the mixture simmer or boil.

5. Use the homemade topping as soon as the mixture is completely smooth -- it will begin to harden instantly. Keep the remaining sauce on low heat in case anyone wants seconds.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient and melt the butter and chocolate slowly. Avoid bringing either to a boil.

• Leave the sauce on low heat until it's ready to be served

• Prepare immediately before use. Since this sauce lacks the gross ingredients that keep magic shell liquid until it hits the ice cream, this should be spooned directly onto the ice cream instead of stored.

References

• The New York Times: Chocolate Shell Ice-Cream Topping
• Taste of Home: Hard-Shell Ice Cream Sauce Recipe

Resources

• What's Cooking America: History and Legends of the Ice Cream Sundae
• Brownie Points Blog: Make Your Own Junk Food: Homemade Magic Shell