How To Make Hot Cocoa Bombs the 3 Winks Way

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    This is the first year in many years that we haven't participated in a craft show and sold our beloved Hot Cocoa Bombs.  So many of our past customers have contacted me wanting to know where we are!  Many are discovering our Hot Cocoa Bomb Idea booklet on Etsy.  So, I thought today I would re-post our original tutorial that shows how to make the best and most entertaining Hot Cocoa ever!  
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The time has come! I am going to introduce the method we use to make our Hot Cocoa Bombs with all of their chocolaty goodness and hidden surprises!  Believe me, it took a lot of trial and error to get them to come out the way we imagined them.  Today, I am going to start you out with the basic Chocolate Marshmallow Bomb.  After that, the flavors and decorating ideas are endless.
To begin, here are the tools and supplies I use:

Tools and Supplies

• Wilton Brownie Pop Molds (Easy to order through Amazon!) Here is the kind I am using. You can sometimes find Christmas ones as well! 
• One double boiler
• One soup sized spoon
• One teaspoon
• One rubber spatula
• 1 bag of chocolate chips per tray (I use whatever is on sale.)
• Nesquik
• Marshmallows
• ​Candy Melts and sprinkles to decorate

How to Make Your Hot Cocoa Bombs

 Begin by using a double boiler to melt the chocolate chips over hot water.  That is the best way to melt the chocolate to a creamy consistency and to avoid burning it. (Don't let the water run out in the bottom, or you will burn it.)  If you temper the chocolate correctly, it will make the chocolate shine when it cools.
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    * I want to note here that you may be tempted to try to melt flavored chips to make the shell of your bombs. My experience has been that the cinnamon, mint and other flavored chips do not harden as well to make a firm shell.  If you want to use those flavors in your cocoa, you may use them inside the shell as I will show you in future tutorials.

So, melt the chips until they are smooth and silky chocolate!
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    After the Chocolate has melted nicely, use the soup spoon filled as pictured below to put chocolate into the cavity of the mold. 

I know, I am kind of messy.

After filling all of the molds, use the teaspoon to swirl the chocolate around to form the shells.

Next, I put them in the freezer to harden for at least 20 min.  (Usually I get busy and forget to get them out to finish hours later, but either way works).  

Anyway, after they are hardened, take them out of the freezer.  The next step is very important if you do not want to break most of your shells.  After a lot of broken bombs and frustration, we discovered this method. 

Pop the shells out of the mold like this:  

1. Stretch the mold a little bit around the shells.
2. Flip the mold over and push them out from the bottom onto a towel or waxed paper.
3. Pop them back into the molds.  

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FILL THEM BEFORE POPPING THEM OUT THE FIRST TIME.  THIS WILL ONLY FRUSTRATE YOUR LIFE!

Stretch the mold gently.

Push them out, gently.

Oops, this one has a little hole.  That is okay, just patch it up with a quick dot of chocolate from the chocolate that is left over for the tops.  If you aren't quick the hot chocolate will just melt the hole bigger, so it takes a quick touch and pop it back into the mold.

Remember: If you are just making these for your family to enjoy, gloves are not necessary. Please wear food safe gloves if you intend to sell these.

Now, it is time to fill them!  One of the best things about these Hot Cocoa Bombs is that the marshmallows pop up from them when it is time to melt and drink your bomb!   So, the first thing we do is pack them with 5 or 6 mini marshmallows.  Then, we put about a tsp and a half of Nesquick in with the marshmallows. We have used the store brand of chocolate milk mix, but we have discovered that the Nestle brand, Nesquik, really does dissolve more smoothly.

Finally, we top them with a last layer of melted chocolate!

Use just a teaspoon full of the chocolate. Slide it on top with the spatula and then use the spoon to tap it out to the edges to cover the entire top with chocolate, sealing it to the edges.

Back in the freezer they go for another 20 minutes or more.  Then you pop them out and the decorating begins!

I kept these simple using a little white topping.  The candy melts harden quickly on the frozen cocoa bombs.  

Time to taste them!  Make some nice, hot milk.  I love real cocoa made in milk rather than the water kind. Don't you?  Fill your mug about 3/4 full of the hot milk, drop in your Hot Cocoa Bomb, and stir! You will love it!

Up pops the mallows! Yum!

​* Since we first came up with the Hot Cocoa Bomb Idea, we have developed many flavors and ideas as we have progressed! We have a Hot Cocoa Bomb Recipe and Idea book available for purchase here! 

If you would like to watch a video that shows how to make Hot Cocoa Bombs, go here to our YouTube Channel and watch! Be sure to follow us there and here as well. Thanks!