How to Make Hot Chocolate Bombs

There’s nothing better than warming up with a mug of hot chocolate after a fun-filled winter day.  Add some extra excitement to your post-adventure winter refuel with some hot chocolate bombs! Hot chocolate bombs have been blowing up in popularity on TikTok and Instagram. The innovative new treats are hollow balls of chocolate filled with hot chocolate mix and marshmallows. When you pour hot milk over the top, the hot chocolate bomb “explodes,” causing the hot chocolate mix to be released and the marshmallows to float to the top.

Here in Vermont at Lake Champlain Chocolates, we love all things winter and chocolate! So, when we first saw hot chocolate bombs explode onto the scene, we knew you’d want us to have some fun with this trend. Naturally, we had to make a gourmet, better-for-you version of this popular treat using our vegan-friendly hot chocolate and organic chocolate bars. Follow along with our step-by-step directions or watch our video to learn how to make hot chocolate bombs at home. You’ll find helpful tips and tricks from our chocolate experts for making the perfect DIY hot chocolate bombs with marshmallows.

DIY Hot Chocolate Bomb Instructions

Hot Chocolate Bomb Ingredients & Supplies

• Polycarbonate 2-inch half-sphere mould
• Bench Scraper
• Thermometer
• 4 Organic Dark Chocolate Bars (12 oz), finely chopped
• 6 Tablespoons Organic Hot Chocolate
• 1 cup of Mini Marshmallows

Instructions:

Step 1: Gather your ingredients and tools.

When you are looking for a chocolate mould, we recommend opting for one that is a hard polycarbonate (instead of flexible silicone), this way you don’t have to deal with painting the chocolate on the outside of the mould (a messy task that often results in an uneven chocolate shell.

Choosing the right type of chocolate you use in your hot chocolate bombs is totally a matter of personal preference. We prefer rich, full-bodied drinking chocolate so we opted to use our classic dark chocolate bars. If you want an even deep, chocolatey-brownie flavor you could use our 72% dark chocolate. Just make sure you are using high-quality chocolate so that your hot chocolate has the best flavor and creamy texture.

Step 2: Temper your high-quality chocolate.

To temper our gourmet dark chocolate, we used a tabletop tempering machine.  If you don’t have one of these fun machines at home, you can always use the table top method for tempering chocolate or you can learn how to temper chocolate using the microwave.  Whichever method you choose, just remember that properly tempered chocolate should be smooth and glossy in appearance and when it hardens it will provide a nice clean snap when broken.

Step 3. Fill the mould with chocolate. 

Pour the tempered chocolate into your half-sphere moulds. Fill each one to the top. Gently tap your mould on the side of the counter to remove any air bubbles and scrape off any excess chocolate with your bench scraper. Let the chocolate mould sit on the table top for about 5 minutes until the outside of the shell starts to get firm. Timing is key at this point. You want enough of the chocolate to set up along the outside of the mould so that you end up with an 1/8^th inch shell. Moving too quickly will result in a shell that is thin and fragile and will be more prone to breaking. Waiting too long will result in chocolate shell that is too thick and will not melt fully or explode well when hot milk is poured over the top.

Step 4: Empty the excess chocolate.

After step three is complete, grab a baking tray and turn your moulds upside down and gently tap to remove the excess chocolate. Then use your bench scraper to clean the top of the mould. This step will also create the clean, flat edges of your bombs. Then, let the chocolate set up completely for about 10-15 minutes. (You can put the moulds into the freezer for a couple of minutes to speed up this process.)

Step 5: Remove the chocolate shells from the moulds.

Carefully remove each half-sphere of chocolate one at a time. If your chocolate has been properly tempered, the chocolate shells should slide right out. While you might be tempted to just turn the mould over to empty the shapes onto your workspace, rushing the demoulding process like this can result in broken pieces.

Step 6: Fill one half of the chocolate shells.

Pair up your chocolate shells. Fill the bottom half with 1 tablespoon of organic hot chocolate mix. (Leave the top half empty.) For our hot chocolate bombs, we used Traditional Hot Chocolate mix. If you are feeling adventurous, you could try using the Mocha Hot Chocolate or even Spicy Aztec. Next, add a small handful of mini marshmallows. The more marshmallows you add, the more dramatic your hot chocolate bomb explosion will be.

Step 7:  Assemble your hot chocolate bombs.

Fill a small piping bag with some of your leftover tempered dark chocolate and pipe a thin line long the “top” or empty half shell. Carefully place the top half of your bomb on the pre-filled bottom half, making sure that the edges align all the way around. Use your finger to wipe away any excess chocolate. (Don’t hold the hot chocolate bombs in your hands for too long because it will start to melt!) Once assembled, let your hot chocolate bomb sit for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate has set up.

Step 8: Decorate your hot chocolate bombs.

Now onto the fun part! With your piping bag, drizzle melted chocolate back and forth along the top of the hot chocolate bomb. (Pro tip: Place your hot chocolate bomb into small paper cupcake liners so they don’t roll around while you are in the middle of decorating.) Before the chocolate drizzle dries, add your sprinkles. You can customize your hot chocolate bombs by drizzling with milk, dark or white chocolate, sprinkles, nuts, or any other decoration you would like. Congratulations! Your DIY hot chocolate bombs are done!

Now it’s time to grab a mug and enjoy! To prepare, carefully place your hot chocolate bomb in a large mug. Using a saucepan, Areoccino, or milk frother, heat 10 ounces of your milk of choice to about 120⁰F.  Slowly pour your milk over top of the hot chocolate bomb and watch the magic happen. (For best “explosion” results, pour your hot milk over the seam of the hot chocolate bomb.) Give your drink a good stir to make sure all of the delicious chocolate and cocoa gets incorporated. Sit back and enjoy!

Share your DIY hot chocolate creations with us on Facebook or Instagram. Be sure to tag us with the hashtag #lcchocolatebomb for a chance to win an I Love Hot Chocolate Gift Set! Looking to enjoy a hot chocolate bomb, but don’t want to fuss with making your own? Visit one of our retail stores to get your hands on some of our limited-edition hot chocolate drops!