How to make hot chocolate bombs using a silicone mold
There are lots of different types (shapes, sizes, etc.) of silicone molds you can use for hot chocolate bombs, but this recipe is specifically for a mold that creates spheres that are 2.75 in (67mm) diameter. I find that these fit into a standard sized mug really nicely and are big enough to fit lots of fillings.
These molds can come in different colors or have different descriptions, and we're going to use a pretty common size (sometimes referred to as "large" sized). I got mine from Amazon here.
They are the most inexpensive and (probably) most popular style mold for the home baker to to use for hot chocolate bombs. The molds are made of food safe silicone that is both heat and freezer safe. They are extremely flexible, which works to our benefit, but also makes it a little tricky for handling. Don't worry, we'll cover all that.
If you're looking for tools you need to make the bombs, as well as chocolate types to use, or shipping questions, check out my "Hot chocolate bombs: your complete guide" post, which covers covers more of the basic questions around hot chocolate bombs.
Before you get to your recipe, let's cover a few very common questions I get about using a silicone mold.
When I heat my chocolate it's thick/clumpy/not fluid...what's going on?
Compound chocolate has this really interesting characteristic that when it gets really hot it thickens up. It sounds counter-intuitive, because I want to think that as we "melt" ingredients, they should get more runny. It's a pretty simple fix - you didn't burn your chocolate (until you see that it has black spots, in which you will have to throw it out.) You just have to let it cool down. The ideal working temperature for most compound chocolates is around 100F (32C). You don't need a thermometer at all to work with compound chocolate - but just wait until it cools by gently stirring it in your bowl. It will go back to it's fluid state, I promise.
If you really want to heat up your chocolate, you can caramelize your white chocolate, which is insanely yummy. Even though compound chocolate is not real chocolate, it still works! (Some people believe that caramelized white chocolate is dependent on the cocoa butter content, but it's really dependent on the presence of sugar ;) )
Why does my chocolate crack when I remove it from the silicone?
For this tutorial we're using compound chocolate, which doesn't require tempering. What that means is that it should set once it cools down. The reason your compound chocolate is cracking when you take it out of the mold is most likely because it's too thin. Try to make sure that you use enough chocolate that I indicate in the tutorial above and make sure it's definitely set by allowing the mold to rest in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
From there, it may be a removal issue. If you're drying them open side up, then it will usually be thicker on the bottom portion of the mold. Use this to your advantage and push up from the bottom. The chocolate should remove very easily if it's set.
My chocolate melts in my hands when I work with it! How do I fix this?
Warm hands, warm heart! But yeah, problematic when working with chocolate. Some people swear by keeping ice nearby to chill their hands when working with chocolate, some people wear gloves. Both those methods can help. You can also try to touch the chocolate as little as possible. Compound chocolate has a higher melting temp than real chocolate (which coincidentally melts at body temp - a key feature as to why it melts in your mouth so wonderfully when you eat it) so at least we have that to our advantage. So when you pop them out of the mold, do it onto the counter top and then use the silicone muffin cups to handle your chocolates.
Step by step:
Video
If you're ready to get started, you can check out this video here, which goes through 3 different ways I use silicone to make various bombs:
Here are some other videos that use differently shaped silicone molds:
If you'd like to see more, I've created over 15 tutorials on different ways to make hot chocolate bombs. You can check out those videos on my YouTube channel here.
Read this before you begin
Measure by weight, if possible.
Measuring by weight is the best way for you to replicate my recipes. I develop recipes using ingredients (even liquids) measured in grams, which is why you see them listed first in the recipe cards. For measurements under 5 grams, I will typically only list the volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.), as most home scales are not precise for such small weights.
In most cases, I have converted grams to volumetric measurements (aka US customary units) for bakers who prefer this method. However, the measurements are not as precise and may have awkward proportions. The recipes should still work, but for the ultimate precision, try to use weight.
This is the OXO scale I use daily. I also purchased this budget version of a good scale, which I keep at my Mom’s house for baking. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.
Use room temperature ingredients.
All my ingredients should be used at room temperature, or 65-75 °F/18-24 °C. I will always indicate if you need something outside this range. If no details are given, room temperature is the default.
Pay attention to the ingredient descriptions.
I try not to be brand-specific, but I will always note an interesting result from a type of ingredient, be it negative or positive.
A specific note regarding salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for everything on this site except for frostings. In frostings, you want the salt to dissolve more easily, and kosher salt tends to leave granules behind. If you substitute table salt (more finely granulated) for recipes that list kosher salt, you must use half the volume indicated in my recipes.
Substitutions are hard.
That’s not to say they’re impossible, though. For instance, in many cases, substituting reduced fat for whole milk (and thus reducing fat by less than 2%) will probably be fine. Using applesauce for oil or even Greek yogurt when sour cream is listed will definitely alter the fat content and adversely affect the crumb texture and density of the cake.
I experiment for hours to get these recipes to work for us. First, try to make them as written or use one of my tested substitutions, which I often dedicate a section to. Then, if necessary, you can make modifications afterward. Even then I would be pretty cautious, as substitutions are one of the hardest things to investigate in recipe development.
Read all the recipe instructions before beginning.
I’m in the “Pre-read the Chapter before Class Lecture” club... and I invite you to join! Baking new recipes can be intimidating, so let’s set you up for success. I want you to think about timeframes. Most fillings and frostings can be made ahead of time, and give you an extra day for mental space. Also, as you become a more proficient baker, you can anticipate and recognize steps. (“Oh, this has a meringue step, so I’ll need an extra clean bowl…” etc.) Ensure you go down the ingredient list and have everything at the right temperature.
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Hot chocolate bombs using a silicone mold
For every chocolate bomb (an entire bomb with marshmallows and cocoa powder) you will need:
- 46g (1.8 oz) chocolate (I like Mercken's white chocolate)
- 1-2 tablespoons/15g (0.5 oz) hot cocoa mix
- 9g (0.3 oz) assorted marshmallows
So for instance, if you wanted to make 3 hot chocolate bombs, you'll need 138g of chocolate, 45g of hot cocoa mix, and 27g of marshmallows.
For every chocolate bomb (an entire bomb with marshmallows and cocoa powder) you will need:
- 46g (1.8 oz) chocolate (I like Mercken's white chocolate)
- 1-2 tablespoons/15g (0.5 oz) hot cocoa mix
- 9g (0.3 oz) assorted marshmallows
So for instance, if you wanted to make 3 hot chocolate bombs, you'll need 138g of chocolate, 45g of hot cocoa mix, and 27g of marshmallows.
- Melt chocolate: Add your chocolate wafers to a microwave safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on high power (mine is 1200W) 30 seconds at a time. Stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula between every heating step and continue heating until the chocolate is fluid. It should resemble the consistency of house paint (sorry, I'll try to think of a better analogy!) and run off of the end of your spatula smooth and easy. If you'd like to color your chocolate, add drops of oil-based food coloring or powdered coloring.
- First coat of chocolate: The purpose of this first coat is for coverage, not thickness. Pour enough chocolate into each cavity until halfway full. Then either pick up the whole mold and rotate until every interior surface is covered in chocolate, or you can use a spoon, or paintbrush to evenly cover with chocolate.
Then, quickly invert the mold over your silicone mat. This pours out all of the excess chocolate. Use a spatula to clear off the edges of each cavity. - Setting the chocolate: Place on a tray, chocolate facing upwards and into the fridge for about 10 minutes to firm up. Some like to allow theirs to harden by flipping the chocolate upside down towards the tray. This works too, but it creates a thicker edge along the surface of the chocolate.
- Second coat of chocolate: Now we are going to aim for thickness, or stability, so we can remove and handle the chocolates without them breaking. Remove the silicone mold(s) from the fridge. Now I like to go in with either a spoon or food-safe paintbrush and brush the interior of the mold with a second coat of chocolate. (If you had to reheat your chocolate, make sure it's not too hot otherwise it will melt your first coat.) Try to use up all of that remainder melted chocolate for all your chocolates. Concentrate on getting the chocolate all the way up to that upper edge. Use a spatula to clear off the edges of each cavity. Place back into the fridge for another 5-10 minutes like you did for the first coat.
- Removing chocolate from silicone: Once the chocolate is completely firm, invert each half sphere by applying gentle pressure from the very bottom of the mold. These should pop out very easily. Place half of the chocolates sphere in cupcake liners (either silicone or paper) and the other halves on a tray.
- Filling the chocolate spheres: Grab a plate that has been warmed in the oven or pan that has been placed on the stove for a few seconds. We're going to use the warmth to smooth the edges of all the chocolates by gently rubbing each chocolate against the warm plate/pan.
Now fill each of your chocolates in the liners with 2 tablespoons (about 15g) of hot cocoa mix. Add enough {{ marshmallow }} to reach the top rim of your half chocolate sphere (about 2 tablespoons or 9g). - Assembly: Make sure your plate is still warm and take your empty half-spheres and gently rub the edges on your warm pan. Quickly place it on top of a filled half-sphere. The melted chocolate acts as a glue to hold the two pieces together. (You can also use a piping bag to pipe melted chocolate on the rim, but make sure your chocolate is not warm or it will melt you shells.) Continue with the rest of your spheres.
- Decorating: Melt just a little more chocolate if needed and fill a piping bag or parchment cone (I have a short video here if you want to learn how to make these cones). You can drizzle on some extra chocolate, along with some sprinkles, or do even more elaborate designs.
Recipe Card - Adriana's Notes
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