Do you believe in magic? (Homemade Magic Shell)

Did you know about this?

Why didn't somebody tell me?

chocolate

+

coconut oil

=

magic shell

Magic Shell is that topping that you buy at the grocery store that squirts out of a bottle and magically solidifies into a crackly chocolate candy coating when it hits cold ice cream.  It's the same stuff that coats ice cream bars.  If you have kids around, you have to make this.  If you don't have kids around, you 're going to want to make it anyway.

So maybe fireflies aren't really fairies, and rainbows are just optical illusions,  You have homemade Magic Shell.  This is going to make up for all that disillusionment and then some.

Coconut oil comes in a jar, usually in the oil section of the supermarket, and sometimes with the international foods.  It comes in solid form, refined or unrefined.  I used refined; it has a more netrual taste.  Don't confuse it with coconut milk or cream. 

Magic Shell
makes a small jar
6 oz (6 squares) semi sweet chocolate, broken in half or in pieces
3  rounded Tbsp coconut oil

• Put the chocolate and the oil in a glass measuring cup and microwave for about 30 seconds.  Take out and stir.  Microwave in short 15 second bursts, stirring in between, until the chocolate is almost all melted.  Keep stirring until all the lumps are gone.
• Pour into a glass jar and store on the counter.
• The mixture will stay liquid at room temperature in the warmer months, and may solidify during cooler weather.  No problem, just microwave it briefly before serving.

Notes: I'm sure this has dawned on you already, but you can do all sorts of creative variations with this sauce.  I tested the recipe with white chocolate and the same proportions hold.  You could use all kinds of flavorings and add-ins, too.  I think vanilla bean and toasted macadamia nuts would be nice with the white chocolate. 

This is one of those many examples of a do it yourself food that really makes sense to try.  For one thing, it takes just minutes to make.  For another, you can use really good quality chocolates and flavorings.  The store bought version can't compete.
Oh, and by the way, coconut oil is now known to be super healthy, right up there with olive oil.  And of course you already know about the health giving properties of dark chocolate.   So when you think about it, this decadent sauce is really a power-food.  

Who needs the Tooth Fairy?