Hot chocolate bombs are all the rage right now, and make SUCH a cute Christmas present!
I learned how to temper chocolate for this recipe and I will tell you, it is NOT as scary as it looks!
Now I am by no means a pro at tempering chocolate, but I did want to share what I have learned, as a beginner, that really helped me have success.
I definitely found that the tempering of chocolate was easier than I expected. I used a method where you never break the temper on the original chocolate by not letting it get above 90 F. If you mess up, you have to add in more chocolate to get the temper back. I also tried the traditional method (see the instructions here), but found the microwave method less stressful in the end.
My Chocolate Bomb Tips:
- I used silicone baking moulds that were 2.5 inches in diameter. I feel like the perfect size would be 2 inches, but use what you have!
- Chocolate chips will NOT work for this recipe. They have stabilizers in them and do not melt as fluidly.
- The more chocolate you use in the initial process, the easier this will be. I tried to do a small batch of chocolate (about 8-10oz), and this is when I had the most trouble. You can save the chocolate if you don’t use it all by spreading it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and letting it harden. Then break it apart and store it in a jar!
- Every time you microwave the chocolate, make sure it is at most 86 degrees F. You might need to stir it and let it sit to cool down before microwaving again.
- If your chocolate reaches 91 F, you may be ok! Mine reached 91 both times, although was always fine.
- If your chocolate reaches 92 F, you will need to re-temper by adding back in seeded chocolate.
- Stir well after each microwave. My chocolate did not melt all the way, it still had some small lumps that never melted, but I was still able to use the chocolate to paint.
- Start painting the chocolate in the moulds, if it sits too long and gets too thick, you can re-microwave it (just make sure that it is below 86 F before you do this so it doesn’t lose its temper!)
- Once un-moulded, I set the bombs one at a time on a hot plate (microwaved for 1 minute)- this will melt the uneven edges. They will then fit together much easier when filled.
- I painted extra chocolate over the seam to make sure that they were sealed properly. I covered this with the sprinkles for a polished look.
- If you want to learn more about tempering chocolate (and watch a video), check out this post by Sugar Geek Show!
When you drop the bombs (HA), I found the best way to get that classic marshmallow explosion was by adding the bomb to a mug and then pouring piping hot milk (or milk alternative) on top. When I dropped them into a full mug of milk, they didn’t explode as nicely and definitely took longer to melt.
Check out my video of the drop on my Insta: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CIBEA8HFDVM
I wrapped my bombs in these super cute boxes from Creative Bag in Toronto. I loved the finished product!
Hot Chocolate Bombs
Print RecipeIngredients
- 16 -24 oz good quality semi-sweet baking chocolate (not chips!)
- Hot chocolate powder (1 tablespoon for each bomb)
- Mini marshmallows (about 2 tablespoons for each bomb)
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup sprinkles for hiding the seam OR crushed candy canes
- 1/4 cup white chocolate for drizzling (you can use either candy melts or white chocolate blocks)
- Equipment:
- Microwave
- Instant read thermometer
- silicone baking moulds (2-2.5 inch diameter are my fave!)
- Pastry brush (for painting the chocolate on the moulds)
- muffin liners (for packaging)
- box (for packaging) - I used one from Creative Bag, but any bakery box will work!
- Ribbon and name tags
Instructions
Prepare your silicone baking moulds, making sure they are completely clean and dry. Set aside.
Finely chop the chocolate (like as fine as you can get!). The smaller pieces, the better it will melt, and the fewer headaches you will have.
We will now temper our chocolate. Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. I used ceramic, although glass would probably work best.
Microwave chocolate for 30 seconds. Remove, and stir chocolate from the edges, back into the middle. It will look like NOTHING happened.
Place back in the microwave for 15 seconds. Stir again. Take the temperature of the chocolate, making sure it does not reach 90 F. Repeat the process if and ONLY if the chocolate registers 86-87 F or less (this will depend on your microwave).
The chocolate will not look like it is melting but keep at it. If the temperature is too close to 90 F, simply wait 5 minutes and re-check, making sure it is under 86-87 F before placing back in the microwave. If your chocolate reaches 92 F, your temper will be broken and you will have to add about 6-8oz finely chopped chocolate back in and restart the process. If it registers 91 F, you should be ok!
When your chocolate is almost completely melted and is under 91 F, test the temper by spreading some chocolate on a piece of parchment and place it in the fridge until hardened. If it snaps when you break it apart, it is in temper. If it is not, you will have to add more chocolate back in (about 6-8oz finely chopped chocolate, and repeat the process.
Once your chocolate is tempered, you are ready to make your bombs. Place about 1 tablespoon of chocolate in a mould, and use a pastry brush to spread the chocolate evenly over the inside of the mould. It is ok if it is not perfectly covered, you are going to do a second layer once the first is dried. Repeat with all of your moulds until they all have a base layer. Place another 2-3 teaspoons of chocolate in your mould, and go over any places that look like they are too thin and you see the silicone peeking through. Pay extra attention to the rim of the mould as this needs to be built up a bit. Once your second coat is applied, place them in the fridge for 5 minutes to harden completely.
Remove chocolate shells gently from moulds, and place them on a plate or use an empty egg carton like I did to keep them stable.
If you have only 6-hole moulds, repeat the process until you use up all of your chocolate. Remember you may need to re-melt your chocolate in 15-second intervals until fluid enough to brush into your moulds (again make sure the temperature is below 86-87 F before you nuke it for 15 seconds.
To put the bombs together, microwave a plate for 1 minute until it is hot. Take 1 half chocolate sphere, and place edge side down on the plate, and spin gently until the edges melt slightly. This will give a nice clean edge to seal your moulds. Place in a small bowl, or back on your egg carton. Fill with 1 tablespoon hot chocolate powder, and about 2 tablespoons of mini marshmallows.
Take your 2nd half sphere, and place it on your hot plate to melt the edges as you did the first. Once the edges are clean, place this second half-sphere evenly on top of the first sphere, being careful to work quickly to avoid melting the chocolate. Use a small pastry brush and the melted chocolate on your plate to seal the edges of the bombs (you can also melt a little extra chocolate to do this). This will make sure that no chocolate powder will spill out when you pick them up, as well as allow the sprinkles to stick to the seam to hide it. Once you have sealed the seam, roll your bomb gently in the sprinkles to cover the seam. Repeat the process with the remaining bombs.
To finish them with a white chocolate drizzle, simply finely chop your white chocolate and place in a microwave-safe bowl (we won't be tempering this). Microwave in 30-60 second intervals, stirring between each one until the white chocolate is melted. Pour the white chocolate into a small ziplock bag or piping bag, and snip the tip as small as you can. Drizzle each bomb with the white chocolate. Allow the white chocolate to harden before packaging for gifts!
Store hot chocolate bombs at room temperature as the fridge can introduce moisture to the chocolate (chocolate and moisture are not friends).
Notes
My microwave is 100W. I found that if I microwaved the chocolate when it was above 87 F, it would go over 90 F and I would have to re-temper. If it is too close to 90, simply wait 5 minutes and re-check.
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