How To Make Chocolate Bowls with a Balloon
Updated: Jan. 15, 2023
Make this edible chocolate bowl the most fun part of your dessert with our easy step-by-step guide.
Looking for an easy way to wow your favorite chocoholic? You could fix one of our most decadent chocolate desserts, but why not learn how to make chocolate bowls and fill them with your favorite treats? They’re the perfect vessel for peppermint ice cream, banana splits, white-chocolate mousse, fresh fruit or gooey caramel confections. Making chocolate bowls with this step-by-step guide is super easy and so fun, you can even get the kiddos to help. Because let’s face it, dessert isn’t complete until you can eat the bowl!
How To Make A Chocolate Bowl
You’ll need (for 8 servings):
4 cups chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup chopped white chocolate, melted and cooled
Assorted sprinkles, optional
Tools:
8 small balloons, filled with air
paper towel
2 small bowls
parchment paper
baking sheet
toothpicks or wooden skewer
Step 1. Clean the balloons.
Using a damp paper towel, clean each balloon to remove any powder, residue or dust.
Step 2. Dollop the chocolate.
Drop the melted bittersweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon at a time, 2–3 in. apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. There should be eight circles. Pour the remaining bittersweet chocolate into a bowl.
Pro Tip: Make sure the chocolate has cooled enough that it won’t pop the balloons, but isn’t too set up. You want a dab of chocolate just big enough to keep the finished bowl stable, so don’t make it too small.
Step 3. Drizzle.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of white chocolate over the bittersweet chocolate. Swirl the white chocolate slightly into the bittersweet chocolate with a toothpick or wooden skewer.
Pro Tip: Don’t overswirl! You want a marble effect, not a complete blending together of the chocolates. The more you swirl, the fuzzier the lines will be.
Step 4. Dip the balloons.
Holding the tied end, dip 1 balloon halfway into the bowl of melted bittersweet chocolate, rocking it back and forth slightly to coat. Lift the balloon out and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Repeat with the remaining balloons, adding 1 tablespoon of white chocolate to the bittersweet chocolate and swirling before dipping each remaining balloon.
Pro Tip: Don’t worry about making all the sides even or the top level. Peaks and valleys along the edge create visual interest. If you want an asymmetrical bowl, vary how much you rock the balloon from one side to another.
Step 5. Attach the balloons.
To secure the balloons to the baking sheet, lightly press each balloon dipped side down on top of one of the chocolate dollops. Make sure it’s secure before you let go or it may slide off. Place the balloons in the refrigerator to solidify.
Step 6. Pop the balloons.
Using a toothpick or wooden skewer, gently pierce each balloon. Peel each ballon out of its chocolate bowl.
Step 7. Fill the bowls.
Fill the chocolate bowls with ice cream, fresh fruit, candy or any of your favorite sweet treats.
Pro Tip: Almost any treat can be served in these bowls, just so long as its not hot. Heck, you could even use them for your morning cereal; we won’t judge!
Looking for more easy, delicious and completely edible desserts? Treat yourself to Coffee Ice Cream Cookie Cups or Orange-Nutella Cookie Cups.
Don't stop there. Make more chocolate dessert!
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(Try these chocolate meringue cookies when you're craving a bite-sized treat!)
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Rich Hot ChocolateEach winter in early February my friends and I gather for an outdoor show called Mittenfest. We skip the Bloody Marys and fill our thermoses with these hot cocoas instead.
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Chocolate Espresso-Nut TorteI love chocolate and nuts, and they come together deliciously in this torte. Serve it with sweetened whipped cream or your favorite ice cream. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey
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Silky Chocolate PieChocolate makes the world go round! We have a family that loves chocolate pies, and this version with a splash of brandy is smooth as silk and oh, so special. —Kathy Hewitt, Cranston, Rhode Island
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Contest-Winning German Chocolate Cream PieI've won quite a few awards in recipe contests over the past 10 years, and I was delighted that this luscious pie sent me to the Great American Pie Show finals. —Marie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan
Chocolate Hazelnut TorteMost cake recipes feed a crowd. So we came up with this elegant little cake that serves six. That's enough for two…with just the right amount of leftovers! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Double Chocolate Almond CheesecakeThis cheesecake is easy to make—but it's definitely not easy to wait till the next day to eat it! The recipe is from a friend I used to work with. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Originally Published: January 17, 2018
