The Icy History of Malted Milk & the Candy
Somewhere deep in Antarctica lay the Horlick Mountains, and hidden in a wooden case of Horlick’s Malted Milk Tablets, were found rare lantern slides of a lost South Pole expedition by Roald Amundsen. Amundsen was the first man to reach the South Pole, and it may well have been the invention of William Horlick that got him there.
It is 1875, and British-born Wisconsin brothers William and James Horlick concocted a malt powder from malt and wheat extract. When mixed with milk, it was used as a nutritional supplement for infants and to treat digestive disorders. At the time, drinking milk wasn’t exactly safe and often carried disease. The brothers went back to the drawing board and came up with a version of the malt that only needed water. Using evaporated milk powder, barley, and wheat flour, this new malt powder became a staple for ordinary lunches, essential supplies for expeditions, and military rations. Soon this powder was added to milk shakes in an effort to provide a “healthy” treat, and turn ice cream parlors into a healthier alternative to bars and saloons.
William Horlick was certainly becoming successful and wanted to do good with his earnings. Being both generous, and a savvy entrepreneur, Horlick began sponsoring expeditions to the North and South Poles providing the brave explorers with his malted milk product to keep them going and make their adventures a little easier. Talk about creative advertising! His product was along for the ride when Roald Amundsen made his historical trek to the South Pole.
Later on, in the early 1900s, malted milk’s sweetness was covered in chocolate by Forrest Mars and sold as the malted milk balls we know today!
Here at the Chocolate Truffle, we make our own version of this sweet malty treat we just know you’ll love! Stop by today and take a bite out of creamy, chocolatey, sugar-sweet, icy, malted history! And the next time you find yourself in the South Pole, be sure to take a malted milk ball break!
