Create a double boiler by heating water over medium-high heat in a saucepan and placing a heat-safe bowl on top of the pot so the water just kisses the bottom of the bowl. (Alternatively, choose the microwave option* below and skip steps 3 and 4.)
Roughly chop or break the chocolate into small pieces.
Place chocolate in the bowl of the double boiler and allow to melt, stirring periodically until smooth. You want to use your candy thermometer here and keep an eye on the heat. Make sure your chocolate heats to between 105°F and 130°F, which will allow it to temper and give you a nice shiny chocolate when it cools.
Fill a bowl larger than the one you used to melt the chocolate 3/4 full with ice water or chilled water and set aside for later. This will serve as an ice bath for the smaller bowl to allow the chocolate to rapidly cool.
Using oven mitts or a dish towel to protect your hands, remove the bowl of chocolate from the double boiler and place it in the ice- or chilled-water bath.
Mix in your agave and leave to cool, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is at 88°F and tempered, with that nice and shiny finish.
Add a heaping spoonful of melted chocolate into one of the 12 of the hot cocoa bomb mold cavities. Smooth chocolate up the sides of each cavity to the top of the mold with the back of a spoon. It’s okay it if goes a little over. Add more chocolate as necessary to coat the inside of each mold. Check to see if there are any areas where you can see the mold through the chocolate or where the chocolate coating seems a bit thin. If there are any, cover them again.
Repeat step 7 until you’ve got your chocolate coating all of the mold cavities.
Refrigerate chocolate for at least 35 minutes, or until completely set and cold. Gently remove from the mold.
Fill 3 halves with 3 tablespoons of cocoa mix each plus any additional optional toppings.**
Then using a spatula, transfer extra melted chocolate into your piping bag and pipe it onto the rims of the 3 filled halves. You can also use a spoon or your fingers.
Place the empty chocolate cups over the filled ones. Work quickly and try not to handle the chocolate too much. The warmth of your hands will leave fingerprints and can soften the chocolate. If you notice this happening, just pop the chocolates back into the refrigerator for a few minutes.
Run a warm spoon along the seam of each cocoa bomb where the two chocolate cups meet to slightly melt the chocolate as well as smooth and seal the seam further.
Top the cocoa bombs as desired.***
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To make a cup of hot chocolate, place one hot cocoa bomb in a mug. Pour 1 cup of hot plant-based milk over bomb. Stir and enjoy!
Toppings & Mix-Ins:
**1 cup (50 g) mini marshmallows (optional)Marshmallows (opt. topping) ***Melted white chocolate ***Chocolate chips ***Sprinkles ***Chocolate sauce
Cooking Tips:
*Microwave melting option:
In a microwave-safe bowl, add chopped chocolate and microwave for 30 seconds, then remove and stir.
Return bowl to microwave and heat for another 15 seconds. Remove and stir.
Check temperature and repeat until chocolate has melted and reached 105°F
