Homemade Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted to re-create a shell coating for ice cream that was deeply nostalgic. We found that the secret ingredient was refined coconut oil. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, meaning it is solid at room temperature. Because of this, when coconut oil is melted to a liquid form along with bittersweet or semisweet chips and spooned over frozen ice cream, it creates a brittle shell that cracks when hit with a spoon. We also found that there is a small window after spooning the still-liquid shell mixture over ice cream when you can add toppings, such as sprinkles and nuts, that will stick to the shell as it sets.