The One Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Flavor You'll Want To Enjoy Slightly Melted

Reese's is now much more than its original flavor. The classic combo of peanut butter and chocolate has been spruced up with variations. A Tasting Table writer tried nine Reese's Peanut Butter Cup flavors and ranked them, concluding that the Chocolate Lava is one that calls for a quick hack for optimization. 

Though lovers of chocolate lava cake may quickly anticipate a moist, gooey middle layer made in a peanut butter cup form, our writer found that this particular flavor promises more than what it delivers. While the presence of an added chocolaty layer inside the cup is subtle, it takes a true Reese's lover to note the flavor difference between a normal Reese's Cup and this special flavor. "Not for me. It reduced the amount of peanut butter to add what, to me, just tasted like room temperature Hershey's syrup," wrote one sampler on Reddit. "Basically, it's just a Reese's Cup, but then it has that like really thick chocolate that you sometimes see on like fudge or something, and I'm not a fan of it," added another. Letting the candy melt, however, softens this added filling into something that is closer to the gooey treat the treat is named for. With this melted effect, the concept works, and the chocolate lava flavor can step into the spotlight.

Softening the candy for a few seconds in the microwave elevates the taste of Reese's Chocolate Lava Cups, but including the ingredient in baking projects is an elite-level move. Some Redditors have likened the taste to milk chocolate ganache. Chopping the pieces and using the candy as an add-in to brownie or cookie recipes can upgrade familiar favorites, and melting the cups to top bowls of oatmeal or post-dinner ice creams can upstage the experience of eating the candy straight out of the package. Whatever you try, Reese's fans are adamant that the candy should absolutely not be chilled. "Whole point of lava is supposed to be creamy and runny," wrote one viewer on YouTube.

Though room-temperature Chocolate Lava Reese's can pass as a try-once treat, using the sweet as a recipe enhancer can make this purchase one to keep stocked in your pantry. Consider taking a page out of Paul Hollywood's book and double down on chocolate and peanut butter flavors by stuffing the candies into the center of your next homemade chocolate lava cake. With a bit of heat, Reese's Chocolate Lava Cups come to life.