Chocolate Shell

This recipe is ideal for making a chocolate shell for ice cream bars and a variety of chocolate candies.  The sky is the limit on how it can be used for candy making, including multi-layer candies.  Pictured above are bite-size sweets made with (left) peanuts, (center) coconut-pecan, and (right) almond-dried cranberries.  Since what you add to your chocolate will vary, the nutritional information will vary.  Therefore I am providing just the counts for the chocolate coating mixture.  you will then have to add the nuts or fruits you add to each piece for an accurate count. This recipe is chilled to set, but it keeps at room temperature for a fairly long period, so you can serve these creations at parties without fear they will melt on the plate. Just pop any leftovers back in the fridge for longer term storage.  They should freeze OK, too.  🙂

The base chocolate shell recipe is suitable (as written) for all phases of Atkins.  Then, once you reach Atkins Phase 2 OWL, you can add nuts, coconut meat, fruit bits to your candy (whatever is allowed on your eating plan).

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE SHELL COATING:

1 c. sugar free chocolate chips (I use Hershey’s)

1 square unsweetened baking chocolate (or 4 squares Lindt 90% chocolate)

¼ c. melted butter

1 T. coconut oil (or 1 T. more butter)

6 drops liquid Splenda (or 2 tsp.vanilla sugar-free syrup)

DIRECTIONS:  Set silicone candy molds on a sheet pan.  Place your nuts, coconut, or fruit bits into each of 48 silicone candy form cups.  Next, in double boiler or a small saucepan over another pan containing boiling water, melt the butter and coconut oil.  Add the square of chocolate and melt slowly.  Add the chocolate chips, stirring constantly so the chocolate will stay smooth.  It should make a smooth, silky (not lumpy) chocolate sauce.  Dip 1 tsp. of sauce onto each candy mold slot.  There should be enough to do all 48 slots.  Then go back and put any remaining sauce as equally on the 48 candies as possible, using it all up.  The chocolate will run down around the nuts/fruit and make a solid piece of candy once chilled.  If making a smaller batch, refrigerate (or freeze) any leftover sauce in a ziploc plastic bag for future use.  Pop the sheet pan into the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes.  When the chocolate is hard to the touch, pop ’em out from the bottom and ENJOY!  The chocolate will not totally melt if at room, but don’t leave them out for hours.  The chocolate WILL melt under the heat of your fingers if held too long.

NUTRITIONAL INFO FOR SAUCE:  Makes about 1¼ cups or 20 T. (60 tsp.).  This will be enough for 48 1″ candies.  Each tsp. contains:

19 calories, 1.79 g  fat, 0.55 g  carbs,0 .21 g fiber, 0.34 NET CARBS, 0.20 g  protein, < 1 mg. sodium

A useful chart of nutrition info for possible candy add-ins: