What are Malted Milk Balls?
Malted milk balls are chocolate-coated candies often sold in milk carton packaging to promote their association with flavored milk and malted milkshakes. One of the most popular brands of malted milk balls is Whoppers®, a name derived from the relatively large size of the candy pieces. Other consumers may be more familiar with a similar brand of malted milk balls marketed as Maltesers®. The flavor of malted milk balls is often described as nutty or distinctively hearty, much like a grain cereal. The reason for this unusual flavor is the use of a grain treatment known as malting. Barley grains are allowed to germinate after harvest, which changes the sugar composition of the grain, in the same sense that germinated corn becomes more suitable for distillation. The malted barley grain is carefully dried and ground into a powder for confectionery use.
