This Pennsylvania Candy Could Be The Star In Your Next Batch Of S'mores

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Camping purists might say that if it's not charred over a fire, it's not a s'more, but sometimes you want that ooey-gooey satisfaction in the fastest, easiest way possible. For an excellent shortcut, replace the usual chocolate and marshmallow with a Boyer Mallo Cup, an Altoona, Pennsylvania-born candy. This underrated treat consists of a whipped marshmallow-like filling inside a shell of milk or dark chocolate mixed with coconut flakes.

The Mallo Cup is said to be the first candy ever made in the "cup" format, preceding even the peanut butter cup. It was invented during the Great Depression by brothers Bill and Bob Boyer, who wanted to sell chocolate-covered marshmallows through their candy business, but struggled with the messiness. Putting the candy in a cupcake liner proved to be a neat solution, and the Mallo Cup was born.

Mallo Cups are best used for s'mores cooked in foil or the oven. Some might pooh-pooh at these shortcuts, but they make the dessert super hands-off for those lazy summer evenings — even ones where you don't want to tend to a fire. And since the candy's center is already soft, you can skip toasting marshmallows, which can be cumbersome or even dangerous for kids and campfire amateurs to attempt. 

Mallo Cups let everyone assemble their own s'mores with ease (and you won't lose any marshmallows to the fire). And since using fancy chocolate is a mistake to avoid when roasting s'mores, this humble candy can actually be better than many chocolate bars.

To make Mallo Cup s'mores over a fire, sandwich the candies between graham crackers, wrap tightly in aluminum foil, and place the bundles directly on the flames using tongs. After a few minutes, remove the s'mores (again using your trusty tongs), let them cool for a minute or so, and unwrap to enjoy the gooey, delectable treats. To take this same idea to the grill, follow the same procedure for assembling foil-wrapped s'mores, then place them on the grates over indirect heat and cook for five minutes. This just might be the most convenient cookout dessert ever.

Mallo Cups are also ideal for oven s'mores that you can enjoy even on a rainy day. Just line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange graham crackers on the pan, then place the candies on top. Bake until melted and top it off with another cracker. The Mallo Cups eliminate the extra step of pre-toasting marshmallows.

With recipes this easy, you can spare some effort to try ingredient additions that take s'mores to the next level. Caramel sauce or a pinch of salt (or both) would complement a melty Mallo Cup. If you love the hint of coconut in the candy, more shredded coconut is an obvious choice. And peanut butter, the surprising ingredient you should start adding to your s'mores, makes for the perfect hybrid between a s'more, a Mallo Cup, and a Reese's.