How Does Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping Work?
The tight-lipped folks at Smucker’s would like us to believe that Magic Shell—the topping that instantly hardens when it comes in contact with ice cream—is indeed magical. After a series of unreturned calls, a company rep emailed that information about the product, which comes in Caramel, Chocolate, Chocolate Fudge, Turtle Delight, and Twix flavors, is proprietary. Hoping to extrapolate, CHOW called Mister Softee and Carvel to find out how their Magic Shell–like toppings work. Mister Softee was the first to answer. President James Conway Jr. says his secret ingredient is “edible-grade paraffin wax.” The topping is kept warm before application, so the wax is in a melted state. When ice cream is dipped in it, the wax hardens. (It’s not that far-fetched: Paraffin wax is sometimes used in chocolate to give it a pretty sheen.) But wax is not listed as an ingredient in Magic Shell. Then Carvel—the ice cream chain that transforms its Fudgie the Whale cake into a Santa Claus cake for the holid
