Candy Cane Hot Cocoa Bombs

 

It’s Christmas Eve!  Let’s talk Hot Cocoa Bombs, Christmas Cookies, and Christmas movies!

First the Christmas Cookies.  Each year, I make gingerbread cookies (here’s my gingerbread recipe) and I always love to have fun with them.  This year was no expectation, as the Gingerbread Men took inspiration from 2020 and donned not only their ugly sweaters, but also festive matching masks!  These were so fun!

And of course, no Christmas is complete without Star Wars Gingerbread men...also sorting ugly sweaters.  These guys didn’t need masks.  Vader and Mando were already wearing them and I figure wookies are naturally immune.

So let’s talk Hot Cocoa Bombs. You’re probably thinking to yourself, didn’t I already see a recipe for Hot Cocoa Spoons here?  Why yes, yes you did.

But almost immediately after I made them, Spud had a suggestion for improvement.

He wanted candy cane spoons, so the cocoa bombs could melt right in.

So how to execute this?  Candy cane spoons are indeed a thing, but the only ones I could find were tiny.  Not tall enough to stir a cup of cocoa or to attach a cocoa bomb.

The solution?  Use chocolate to “glue” a peppermint bark square to a candy cane. (with mini marshmallows for good measure).  Then glue a hot cocoa bomb to the other side!

All of the chocolate makes these Candy Cane stirrers quite heavy and susceptible to breaking if there are any fractures in the candy cane, but Spud was very pleased with these and thought they made the perfect cup of cocoa!

Now for the movie tie-in.  This month's Food n Flix movie was  the rom-com, “The Holiday”, hosted by Debra at Eliot’s Eats.

The movie follows two women, both of whom go through a breakup days before Christmas.  They decide to swap houses and get away from it all and 

(of course) find healing and new love along the way.  It is predictable, but in a good way.  It was a lighthearted movie with a little silliness.  Hubs and I enjoyed it.

So how does hot cocoa and cookies tie-in?  Hot Cocoa shows up as our characters in England share a cup of hot cocoa (with exactly 5 marshmallows) with the main squeeze’s daughters.  And there is definite binge eating Christmas cookies a few scenes earlier!

Believe it or not, these two are only the first recipes I’m sharing for this movie - I also have a New Years recipe coming up!  Stay tuned!

Candy Cane Hot Cocoa Bombs

Small round silicone candy or cake pop mold

Peppermint Bark Squares

Full sized Candy Canes, unwrapped

Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, melted

Hot cocoa mix

Mini Dehydrated Marshmallows

Evenly spread a medium layer of chocolate to coat the well of the round mold (it will form a little chocolate cup).  Place in the refrigerator to harden.

Meanwhile, spread a thick layer of chocolate over one side of teh peppermint bark squares.  Attach the hook side of the candy cane to the square.  Sprinkle dehydrated marshmallows over any exposed chocolate.  Set aside to harden.

Carefully pop the chocolate cups out of the mold.

Pour about 1 teaspoon of hot cocoa mix into each chocolate cup.

Remelt the chocolate if it has cooled.  Spread a thick layer of chocolate over the other side of the peppermint bark square (the candy cane will be on the bottom. Carefully flip the candy cane over a filled chocolate cup.  Use excess chocolate to make sure all gaps are sealed and flip over.

Drizzle with additional chocolate and decorate with crushed candy canes, if desired.

Allow the chocolate to harden.

To serve, heat 6 ounces of milk.   Use the candy cane as a handle to stir the cocoa (if the candy cane breaks - grab a spoon!)