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Hot Chocolate Bombs

Jennifer Fancher
The hottest new way to warm up on a cold winter night is to indulge in an enchantingly creamy hot chocolate bomb. Drop one into a steaming mug or pour the hot milk directly over the bomb and watch it melt, conjuring the hot cocoa powder and marshmallows hidden inside.
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Prep Time 35 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Passive Time 10 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Course Beverages
Servings 6 drinks

Ingredients
  

  • 20 oz. dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa)
  • 6 Tbsp. hot chocolate mix
  • marshmallows mini
  • sprinkles optional
  • candy melts (as desired)
  • 10.5 cups milk whole

Instructions
 

Tempering Chocolate*

  • Finely chop chocolate, making sure to avoid having any large chunks. Set aside about a quarter of the chopped chocolate for seeding*. Move the rest to a microwave-safe bowl.
  • Heat chocolate in microwave for 30 seconds. Then stir, scraping the sides and bottom to ensure even melting. Heat chocolate in additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring and checking the temperature each time. Stop when the chocolate has reached 90ºF (or just before) and is evenly melted.
  • Test chocolate's temper: Drop a small amount onto parchment paper and let sit in the refrigerator for 4 minutes. If chocolate is shiny, smooth, and makes a snap when broken in half, it is properly tempered.
  • If chocolate is not properly tempered, add small amounts of the extra seeding chocolate and stir into melted chocolate. Use microwave to melt chocolate at 5-second intervals and keep the chocolate no higher than 90ºF. Retest your chocolate on parchment paper to ensure it is in temper.

Chocolate Shells

  • Place two 6-cavity silicone hemisphere molds on a baking sheet. These molds should have cavities about 2 inches in diameter.
  • Using a food-safe paintbrush, paint a thin layer of melted chocolate on the inside of each half-sphere of the molds. When first layer of chocolate is almost set, paint a second layer. Be sure to build up a lip where half-spheres will meet since they may crack if too thin when removed from molds.
  • Refrigerate chocolate-painted silicone molds for five minutes.
  • Carefully remove chocolate half-spheres from silicone molds. Wear gloves while doing this to avoid fingerprints on the chocolate or melting it with the heat from your hands.
  • Prepare half of your half-spheres by adding one tablespoon of hot chocolate mix per cavity. Also add mini marshmallows or sprinkles as desired.
  • Heat a small nonstick pan on low, just until warm. Remove pan from heat (it need only be slightly warm). Alternatively, use an oven-warmed dish or baking sheet.
  • Carefully touch flat side of one empty half-sphere on the heated pan for just a second so the edge begins to melt. Quickly adhere to one of the filled half-spheres to seal in fillings. Use a gloved finger to wipe away any excess melted chocolate, or use sprinkles to cover seams.
  • Repeat Step 6 with remaining half-spheres.
  • Decorate as desired.

Hot Chocolate

  • When ready to enjoy a hot chocolate bomb, heat about 14 ounces of milk (or water) until just steaming. Drop in hot chocolate bomb, or pour hot milk (or water) over bomb and watch it melt and explode.

Notes

  • Use high-quality bar chocolate, at least 65% cocoa, such as Lindt dark chocolate.
  • For best shine, polish the inside of the molds with paper towels just before Chocolate Shells Step 4.
  • Do not let the temperature of dark chocolate exceed 120°F when tempering.
  • If the chocolate becomes too hot, stir in small amounts of seed chocolate to lower the temperature.
  • If the chocolate half-spheres crack or break beyond use when removing them from the silicone molds, finely chop them again for seeding and repeat the painting process with thicker layers of chocolate.
  • Optional: Decorate the hot chocolate bombs by drizzling them with additional melted chocolate, sprinkles, etc. Add magical flair by using Hogwarts House colors!
  • Keep things warm in a toaster oven on WARM to make working with chocolate easier.
  • *temper - the process of properly heating and cooling chocolate so that it forms crystals properly and the structure become stable as it solidifies
  • *seeding/seed chocolate - properly tempered solid chocolate pieces that are added to melted chocolate to help cool and temper it
  • This recipe was adapted from Sugar Geek Show.