Name: Freeze Dried Hot Chocolate Bomb Recipe
Ingredients: 1/2 cup organic cocoa powder; 1 cup organic sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups whole milk (or 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream); 8 ounces semi-sweet melting chocolate (optional)

Description

Start with 2 cups of your favorite hot cocoa mix, or follow the recipe with formulating your own mix instead.

Ingredients

Scale

Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
1 cup organic sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk (or 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream)
8 ounces semi-sweet melting chocolate (optional)

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Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl mix together cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla extract. You can do equal amounts of cocoa and sugar instead of one to two if you like a stronger chocolate and less sweet flavor.
Add milk and cream, if using, and whisk until fully blended and there are no powdery blobs left. The mix should be semi-thick. Heat the milk before mixing for easier initial blending.
Pour into spherical ice cube molds, or extra large ice cube molds. Freeze for 12-24 hours. You can press mini marshmallows into the mold before pouring in the chocolate mix and before freezing if you have a large (2-3 inch sphere) mold. You can use silicone molds in different shapes than sphere and cube too.
Transfer frozen chocolate milk blocks from the molds to your freeze dryer trays. Process for 24-36 hours in your freeze dryer. When fully dry and crisp you can remove the hot chocolate bites from the freeze dryer, let them warm to room temperature, then proceed with the chocolate dip.
Melt the semi sweet chocolate in a heat proof bowl in a double boiler. Half dip the freeze dried chocolate blocks, and let chocolate drip and harden. Decorate with white chocolate drizzle, sprinkles, or freeze dried marshmallows if desired. Chill rapidly to set the chocolate. Note: solid chocolate cannot be freeze dried due to it’s fat content, which is why these bombs are dipped after the center portion is freeze dried.
Store your hot chocolate bombs in mylar bags, sealed for freshness. With the chocolate dip the bombs will safely last 3-6 months in storage. If you skip the chocolate dip, the hot chocolate bites will last for 20 years with an oxygen absorber and desiccant in sealed, non-windowed mylar bags.