Crumbs

I’m living vicariously through people who are getting vaccinated right now!  So exciting and I’m so happy!  Makes me feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  I think much of my pent up frustration and anxiety vanished when our governor announced the dates that the rest of the population becomes eligible.  Once again I am thanking my lucky stars that we are in a country that has the means to vaccinate everyone.  (I just wish the people in this country could not be racist a**holes be nice to each other and embrace differences.)

On top of that great vaccine news, the weather has been gorgeous!  Spring was here in full force this weekend with blue skies and 60 degree weather.  We ate on the porch for the first time this year to celebrate.  It was still a little cold so Patricia wore her hat and sweater.  The hat and lack of a neck really accentuates her cheeks.  Cracks me up she is so darn cute.

Patricia concentrates intenty on her toys.

Julius has discovered lint.  He is fascinated by it.  He discovered some lint between his toes the other day and now he will periodically take off his socks throughout the day to clean out the lint.  It is insanely frustrating.  I’ll be trying to get him to put his shoes on and he’ll sit down and grab his shoes.  The shoes will remind him of his feet.  Next thing I know, he’s pulling off his socks and inspecting his toes for lint.  The other day I shouted in exasperation, “what are you doing?! You need to put your shoes on!”  To which he responded calmly, “just looking for sock crumbs.”

Since the temperature in New England is going to bounce back down again this weekend (I know, sorry) I thought I’d give you the instructions for mini hot cocoa bombs.  I’m sure you’ve seen recipes for hot chocolate bombs all over the interwebs.  They are really adorable, but if you are trying to limit your child’s intake of chocolate, boy are they decadent.  These are no less decadent, just smaller.  They were fairly easy to make after a couple tries.  The first time I tried to make them I made the chocolate too thin and it cracked when I took them out of the mold.  They key for me was to build the chocolate on the sides up in layers using a brush.  I used a mold that I’d gotten on super clearance a few years ago from Joann Fabrics for like $3 that has 8 bit hearts.  With 2 regular chocolate bars I was able to fill the entire tray and still have leftovers. I made these for Valentine’s Day but obviously 8 bit hearts work for any occasion.

Mini Hot Cocoa Bombs

What you’ll need:

• Unicorn Marshmallow hot cocoa mix (or hot cocoa mix and teeny tiny marshmallows
• 6 oz of chocolate
• white chocolate

1. Temper chocolate.
2. When chocolate is in temper, pour a teaspoon full in each cavity and use a silicone brush to gently drag the chocolate up the sides of the mold.  Level the top of the mold using a cake spatula.
3. Put chocolate into the freezer for 2 minutes to set.  Make sure to maintain temperature of melted chocolate while you wait.
4. Repeat steps 2&3 2 more times until you have a layer of chocolate about 1/8″ thick.
5. Gently remove chocolates from the mold.
6. Each bomb will require two heart halves.  Fill one heart half with 1 tsp of hot cocoa mix.  Top with as many marshmallows are you can fit without falling off (another teaspoon).
7. Warm a skillet until warm but not hot to the touch. With gloves, take top unfilled half of heart and place on the plate to melt the bottom edge.
8. Place heart on top of the half with hot cocoa and marshmallows, pushing down gently to adhere. Make sure no marshmallows or hot cocoa are poking out.
9. Temper some white chocolate.
10. Place white chocolate in a pastry bag and snip off a very tiny amount so you have a hole about 1 mm wide.
11. Decoratively drizzle white chocolate back and forth over the heart.
12. Immediately press one blue, red, orange, green and purple marshmallow into the white chocolate drizzle in a cluster on one “lobe” of the heart.

To eat…
Take ½ cup milk and heat for 1 min and 20 seconds in the microwave until very hot.  Place hot cocoa bomb into mug and pour hot milk over.  If you are impatient like my child you can stir to help it along.  Marshmallows will “explode” out to the surface, which is where the term “bomb” comes from. 

Hot cocoa bomb ready to explode!

Yum, hot cocoa