Valentine’s Day M&M Hot Cocoa Bombs
The hot cocoa bombs craze is not going away and this recipe adds M&M’s so it’s even more delicious.
The pink and red candy wafer melts add a beautiful touch of color that is perfect for Valentine’s Day. Plus, the outer shell is made with dark chocolate that balances all the flavors inside these hot cocoa bombs.
M&M Hot Cocoa Bombs
Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 3
Ingredients:
- ⅔ c red candy wafer melts, divided
- 5oz dark chocolate bar (72% cocoa)
- ¼ c bright pink candy wafer melts
- Candy thermometer
- (2) 2 c sized glass bowls
- Silicone spatula
- Small spoon
- 3 heaping tbsp hot cocoa mix
- 3 oz Valentine’s M&M’s Milk Chocolate Candies
- Silicone half sphere mold (look for the large ones, that are at least 1.37” deep. This is the one I used- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P2YWHZ6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
- Sandwich size food storage bag
- Kitchen shears
- Small frying pan
- Food safe gloves (optional)
Directions:
- First you will need to temper the chocolate. Roughly chop ¾ of the dark chocolate bar. Place in a 2 c glass bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. The chocolate will still like there is hardly any change, but you will still need to stir the chocolate. Return it to the microwave, heat another 15 seconds, and then stir again. Once it begins to look melted with a few chunks of chocolate left, insert your candy thermometer into the chocolate. You want your dark chocolate to be no higher than 90℉, or the chocolate will be untempered, and will have a chalky appearance with possible streaks of white. Once you reach your desired temperature, continue stirring until all chocolate is smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Place the silicone sphere mold on a flat baking sheet, and spoon approximately a tbsp of the melted dark chocolate into three molds. Thoroughly coat the inside of the mold with a small silicone spatula, or the back of a spoon. Make sure to make the edges a little thicker, so that they don’t break when melding together. If the candy is pooled at the bottom, spread again to evenly coat all sides, or your sphere will be less circular, and more flat on the bottoms from the pooled candy.
- Cool in the refrigerator for 1-2 minutes to set, and then remove. Repeat this process again to make a second layer of dark chocolate, again paying special attention to the edges. The dark chocolate is much thinner than the candy melts, so it’s crucial to do two layers, or your sphere will crack and break when removed. Place back in the refrigerator for another 2 minutes.
- While the dark chocolate is setting, heat the red candy wafer melts in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir well, and continue heating in 30 second intervals until the wafers are fully melted and smooth/creamy.
- Remove the silicone mold from the refrigerator, and repeat step 1, filling the remaining three molds with the red candy melts. You will only need one layer for the candy melts. Once all molds are coated, pop in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes for them to set.
- Once set, remove from the refrigerator, and begin slowly pulling the mold away from the spheres on the sides first, and then lightly push from the bottom to remove them. You can either place them on the cookie sheet, or I placed them on a piece of parchment paper for the next steps. Try to handle them as little as possible to avoid fingerprints, or melting.
- Place a small frying pan over medium heat on the stove. Place a red sphere open side down into the frying pan. Twist it a little to get the edges slightly melted, and then immediately flip back over and fill with a heaping tbsp of hot cocoa mix, and about 5-6 M&M’s.
- Now place a chocolate sphere in the frying pan, and once the edges are slightly melted, place it on top of the red sphere. You can twist them slightly to help meld them together. If you have any cracks that didn’t seal, using a silicone spatula, slightly heat the tip in the same frying pan, and smooth it around the seam.
- Place the bright pink wafers in the microwave, and repeat step 3 to fully melt. Once smooth/creamy, drape the sandwich bag over your hand, and fill with the melted wafers. Cut a very small tip of the bag with kitchen shears, and pipe lines back and forth, and criss-cross onto the chocolate side of the sphere.
- Immediately add 3 M&M’s on the pink lines. If they don’t feel secure, you can add a little more of the melted pink wafers, and then attach.
- When you’re ready to enjoy your hot cocoa bomb, heat 8oz of milk in the microwave, or on the stovetop. Place your cocoa bomb in a mug, and slowly pour the milk over it. Stir lightly to open the bomb and see the hot cocoa explode. Continue stirring until the candy wafers have melted, and enjoy!
Tips: While handling the spheres, wearing food safe gloves will help keep them from melting, and also minimize your fingerprints on them. If you are having a hard time getting the two spheres to connect to each other, you could pipe some extra melted wafers along the seam and dip in sprinkles.
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