Here’s some advice: don’t try to eat a Valomilk when you’re driving. One bite through that chocolate shell and you’ll have liquid marshmallow dripping down your chin and onto your clothes. I shudder to think how many accidents have been caused by drivers frantically wiping Valomilk filling from their shirts.
For candy fans, the Valomilk, created in 1931 by the Russell Sifers Candy Co., is one of the top treats on the market. If you’ve not experienced the joy of biting into one, I don’t know what to tell you. Well, I’ll tell you this: a Valomilk puts the mass-market Mallo Cup, which it resembles, to shame.
Each Valomilk candy is about the size of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. But instead of holding peanut butter, the candies hide a liquid marshmallow with a delicious creamy flavor.
This filling, which is what makes Valomilks such a treat, was created accidentally by a cook at the Iola, Kansas-based Russell Sifers Candy Co. factory who added too much vanilla to the mix. Instead of solidifying, the marshmallow remained runny. The company owner then hand-dipped the runny marshmallow into a chocolate cup. The result is an ooey, gooey mess, but one that is decidedly delicious. “When it runs down your chin, you know it’s a Valomilk!†is the company’s slogan, and it’s definitely an accurate one.
The first bite into a Valomilk is always the best. The chocolate used to make the shell is smooth and creamy with a hint of coconut, though actually there is no coconut in the bar. The vanilla marshmallow cream center has a great meringue flavor, and isn’t too sweet. A fresh Valomilk will have a crunch when you bite it, followed by an immediate release of cream into your mouth, much runnier and smoother than the filling of Cadbury’s Creme Eggs. You know you’ve gotten a stale bar when the center is solid and the chocolate is soft.
For years a favorite in the Kansas region, Valomilks can now be found all over the United States. Search for them at Cracker Barrel restaurants, retro candy stores and, of course, on the Internet. You’ll discover a whole host of fans of this intensely delicious candy.
Buy Valomilk Online:
- at Old Time Candy
- at Amazon.com
Just an FYI…
Every holiday season, I can also find these at my local Whole Foods market. Apparently, they are not only delicious, but organic!
October 21st, 2008 at 9:42 amI like Valomilk okay, but not well enough to pay the $1.69 that Cracker Barrel charges for one little package. At the gas station nearest to my house, I can get a pack of Mallo Cups for less than half that price. I actually prefer Mallo Cups anyway. The added coconut gives the choclate some texture and a good flavor. I also like the fact that the creme filling is a little more solid, but then again, Cadbury Eggs are pretty much my favorite candy so I suppose that’s no surprise. I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on this candy. To each his own! ;)
October 21st, 2008 at 11:07 pmI love them both actually. Valomilks have a great texture and flavor. I also love Mallo Cups, and I agree with Heather that its because of the coconut. I’m also partial, my grandfather was Bill Boyer who invented Mallo Cups.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:07 amAfter reading “Candyfreak” a few years ago, I absolutely had to try Valomilks, and found them at a great retro candy store (Sweet Nostalgia) in Geneva, IL. The chocolate is incredibly smooth and the filling has a wonderful vanilla flavor. I avoid the “mess factor” by carefully prying off the top and licking out the middle. :)
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 amWe make our VALOMILK Candy Cups with the finest all natural ingredients and use my grandfather’s original 1931 recipe. We make them one little batch at a time and ship them fresh each day. I hope you will enjoy the experience of our VALOMILK Candy Cups and tell your friends.
Sincerely,
Russ Sifers
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:33 pmHi, All:
Didn’t mean to dismiss Mallo Cups. I like those, too. But there’s something about Valomilk. Delicious. By the way, I purchased the Valomilk candies for this review from Sweet Nostalgia in Geneva, Ill., the same store Stephan above references.
Thanks for all the comments,
October 22nd, 2008 at 2:08 pmDan
I too first heard about these when I read candyfreak. The closest I got to trying these was finding some very stale ones at a gas station in oklahoma city. Regardless, I am still on a quest to try them fresh!
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:51 pmI learned about Valomilks a couple of years ago, and I LOVE them. They are very sweet, I can’t eat both cups at once. I have never had a Mallo Cup, so I couldn’t compare them. My local “mom and pop” grocery store carries them, they keep them right on the check out counter where they are hard to resist.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:40 pmI LOVE Valomilks! I remember eating them in high school over thirty years ago. When my husband asked me what I wanted for Valentines Day I asked for a dozen Valomilks.
February 15th, 2009 at 12:25 amHe surprised me by finding them (and by giving me a dozen roses,too). I have tried the Mallo Cup, and there is no comparison. Valomilks are the best. Just wish they weren’t so hard to find.
Just purchased these and one of the cups was empty. No marshmallow, just air.
September 6th, 2009 at 9:55 pmContacted the company and they say it is impossible to make a Valomilk and not to have marshmallow inside. Well then I guess they did the impossible. The company has pretty much called me a liar and said it must have leaked out and was in the wrapper. Perfect looking chocolate cup that was empty and a perfectly clean wrapper. And may I say these are quite pricey and not all that good. And then for the company to not stand behind their product…
September 11th, 2009 at 9:00 pm