This hot chocolate bombs recipe will become your favorite to make for Christmas or Valentine's Day. These festive spheres of chocolate come packed with hot cocoa mix and mini marshmallows that explode in your cup when adding boiling milk. You'll only need a few supplies to make these hot cocoa bombs at home. Customize them with any type of chocolate or toppings for the perfect gift.
Temper the chocolate - Option 1: double boiler method
Melt about 2/3 of the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently. The water should be on a simmer and not boiling hard. Once the chocolate reaches 120°F (dark chocolate) or 105°F (milk chocolate), remove the bowl from heat and set it on a dish towel.
Gradually add the remaining chocolate until melted. Let the chocolate cool slightly to about 80-85°F. If the chocolate begins to harden, you can return it to the double boiler and stir until melted again.
Temper the chocolate - Option 2: microwave method
Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute on defrost (30% power).
Stir the chocolate and continue microwaving in 30-second bursts at 50% power, stirring each time.
Add chocolate to the silicone mold
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of chocolate into each half sphere and smooth the chocolate up to the edges using a tablespoon.
Let the chocolate cool to room temperature.
If the chocolate does not reach the edges, you can add a second layer of chocolate to fill in any gaps.
Release the chocolate from the mold and filling
Once the chocolate has completely cooled to room temperature, gently remove the half spheres from the mold. It may be helpful to turn the mold over and push the spheres out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Fill each half sphere with up to 1 tablespoon of hot cocoa mix. Add mini marshmallows and any other fillings you like.
Seal the hot cocoa bombs
To seal the spheres, rub the edges of one-half of the sphere against a warm plate to slightly melt the chocolate. It may help to wear nitrile gloves during this step to prevent fingerprints.
Place the empty half-sphere on top of the other half filled with cocoa mix and marshmallows.
Decorate the hot chocolate bombs
Drizzle more tempered chocolate or store-bought frosting on top of the hot cocoa bombs and add any toppings desired. Place the finished hot cocoa bombs in paper cupcake liners to store, and keep them in a sealed container at room temperature.
Serve the hot cocoa bombs
Place the hot cocoa bomb in a mug and add steaming milk on top, or heat the milk in a mug for 1-2 minutes before placing the hot cocoa bomb inside. Stir to dissolve the chocolate, and enjoy!
Notes
If you don't have a silicone mold, try using a paper cupcake liner instead. Simply fill the liner with a layer of tempered chocolate and fill it with the hot chocolate bomb ingredients once the chocolate has set. Cover it with another dollup of melted chocolate and seal it with a spoon.Since the chocolate shell in this recipe provides a lot of richness to a hot cocoa drink, you may opt to add less hot cocoa mix inside.Avoid the temptation to speed up the cooling process by placing the mold in a refrigerator. This can cause discoloration and a dull texture in the chocolate called bloom.