Hot chocolate bombs were all the craze during Christmas 2020, as made viral through TikTok and Instagram. Since I'm usually late to trendy things, it seems fitting that I jump on the bandwagon a year late for my homemade Christmas gift this year.
Hot Chocolate Bombs are visually dramatic treats. You place the chocolate sphere (that is filled with cocoa mix and marshmallows) in a mug and it explodes when hot milk is poured over top. I knew these would be a hit with my nieces but even I was stunned when I tried it out myself.
I made three batches of these treats. Each successive batch came with different lessons:
- TEMPERING CHOCOLATE IS HARD. (Now I know why Claire is always avoiding tempering chocolate on Gourmet Makes). Even with a food thermometer, it was so easy to overheat the melted chocolate, which then turned this crazy grayish swirl on the finished bomb (I bloomed my chocolate, it appears). (Sistas are getting the uggos, sorry!).
- I used my fondue pot for the two later batches and that helped keep the chocolate warm while I was coating the silicone molds. Not sure it held the temperature low since I wanted to stay blissfully ignorant.
- Silicone brushes do not work well on a silicone mold. Use a regular bristled pastry brush.
- Peppermint chips are a fun addition to the molds but sprinkles aren't that necessary on the inside.
- Sealing the two half spheres was hard since my warm hands kept forming holes on the spheres. Be patient and it's nothing a little melted chocolate can't cover.
- These package nicely in a cupcake liner and in a treat bag. If you're shipping them, a single cupcake box packed with lots of tissue paper works well too.
- Use almost boiling milk when making the hot chocolate bomb explosion---it yields more dramatic results.
- After speaking with a friend, I would try to use Ghiradelli melting wafers next time in hopes that I don't bloom the chocolate again.
Was it worth all the trouble? Ask me in a few weeks. The sting of making them is still fresh. And my finished bombs still have a slight grayish tint so hopefully the recipients aren't too horrifed by them. (The perfectionist in me is scarred but the sloppy/lazy person in me is also like, "eh, they are what they are. They're still usable and festive").
The Recipe: Hot Chocolate Bombs from The Kitchn is a recipe with tempered chocolate. This is the recipe I used but there are others like this one that doesn't exactly temper the chocolate since it cools it in the freezer. Here is also a homemade cocoa mix recipe from I Am Baker.
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