I may be one of the few people in America who remembers Boyertown, USA. The amusement park created by Boyer Candy Company in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to rival Hershey’s wasn’t the raging success the company hoped it would be—it only lasted two summers before hitting bankruptcy court. Happily, Boyer’s Mallo Cups didn’t meet the same fate; the creamy marshmallow-and-coconut confections are still made in Altoona.
YIELD: 12 candies
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes
DIFFICULTY: 5
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: digital thermometer, stand mixer, 12 standard-size silicone cupcake liners
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (a scant cup)
3 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped (a scant 1/2 cup)
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut
TEMPER THE CHOCOLATE:
Fill a small, straight-sided saucepan halfway with water and bring to a simmer.
Place half the semisweet chocolate (3 ounces) and all the milk chocolate in a large stainless steel or heatproof glass bowl set over the simmering water. The bottom of the bowl shouldn’t come into contact with the water.
Stir the chocolate constantly until it’s fully melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and place on a cool surface. Add the remaining semisweet chocolate and stir to melt. Check the temperature of the chocolate as you stir; it needs to drop to 84°F to 86°F to make sure the chocolate tempers. (What does “tempering chocolate” mean? See the sidebar.) Continue to stir until you hit the target temperature.
MAKE THE MARSHMALLOW:
While the chocolate cools, place the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof stainless steel or Pyrex bowl set over the pan of simmering water. Whisk continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is slightly opaque, frothy, and warm to the touch.
Transfer the whisked egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on medium-high speed for about 2 to 3 minutes, until opaque and glossy. Add the cream of tartar and whip for 1 to 2 minutes more, until stiff peaks form when the mixer is turned off and the whisk is lifted.
ASSEMBLE THE MALLO CUPS:
Once the chocolate has reached 84°F to 86°F, place the bowl back over the simmering water and bring the temperature up to 91°F to 93°F. Don’t let the chocolate get hotter than 93°F or you’ll need to cool and heat it again, and that’s a pain.
Place 12 silicone cupcake liners on a baking sheet. Using a mini spatula, paint the bottom and halfway up the sides of each cup with 1 teaspoon melted chocolate. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden. (Hardening time will vary based on room temperature.)
Fill each hardened chocolate cup with 1 tablespoon marshmallow fluff. Sprinkle 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon shredded coconut on top (depending on how much you like coconut). Press gently with your fingers to make sure the coconut sticks to the marshmallow.
Spoon a thin layer of chocolate on top of the coconut and gently spread using a mini spatula to cover completely. Allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature.
Store the candy cups in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. They’re also pretty darn good straight from the freezer!
I hate tempering chocolate. I know it sounds hyperbolic, but I put it in the same category as deveining shrimp (although definitely not as gross). So why bother? Beyond the scientific explanation of what you’re doing to the chocolate’s crystalline structure when you temper it, the end result means you’ll have glossy, gorgeous candies that keep perfectly at room temperature.
Tempered chocolate will harden and cool more quickly once you enrobe or cover your goodies with it, it won’t melt as quickly when you hold it in your hand, and it will stay shiny at room temperature without developing a chalky coating (that’s actually cocoa butter separating from the chocolate).
Don’t want to bother tempering your chocolate? Fine, you don’t have to, but you’ll need to store any finished candies made with untempered chocolate in the refrigerator to stop the chocolate from “blooming” with cloudy chalkiness.