In this blog, we discuss all of the basics about licorice candy: its ingredients , origins, and how you can enjoy it with classics from Wockenfuss. As you might know, licorice is made of an extract from the licorice root. Glycyrrhiza glabra is a legume that is native to parts of Asia and Europe, and the root of this plant is where licorice candy gets its bold flavor. While other plants such as star anise and fennel are noted for their licorice-like flavor, they are not related to Glycyrrhiza glabra.
Candymakers often use starch, gelatin, or flour as binders, and recipes for salty licorice in Nordic countries typically include ammonium chloride salts. The use of licorice root has a long history that dates back to various notable ancient civilizations and continues into many cultures today. While some groups of people considered it a medicinal plant, others simply used it as a sweetener and flavoring for baked goods and drinks. In Britain, the Netherlands, and Italy, licorice root was popular in its dried, natural form as a breath freshener and sweet treat.
Experienced chemists and candy technologists develop licorice candy recipes. By using their knowledge of ingredient characteristics and production processes, they can create a variety of licorice candy types. The ingredients in these recipes are specifically chosen to provide desired characteristics such as texture, taste, and appearance. They are typically mixed together in water to create a homogenous blend, and then much of the water is evaporated off to produce a solid product. The primary ingredients include sweeteners and wheat flour.
Other ingredients such as starches, preservatives, colorants, and flavorings are also important. Since licorice is a sweet candy, sweetening ingredients make up much of their composition. Sugar and corn syrup are two primary sweeteners. Sugar is sucrose, which is derived from beet and cane sugars. It is supplied as small, white crystals, which readily dissolve in water.
Since sugar is not critical to the texture of the licorice, it can be less refined, reducing the cost of the licorice recipe. Corn syrup is typically used in combination with sugar in licorice candy. It is a modified form of starch, and like sugar, it provides sweetness to the licorice.
It also inhibits sugar crystallization, helps control moisture retention and limits microbial spoilage. Beyond sugar and corn syrup, other sweeteners are sometimes incorporated into the licorice recipe. These include molasses, glucose syrups, and other crude sugars.
Some low calorie licorice candies incorporate artificial sweeteners like aspartame Nutrasweet. All the ingredients in licorice must be bound together to maintain a cohesive product. To accomplish this, candy technologists use wheat flour. Wheat flour is obtained by grinding wheat seeds into a powder. It is primarily composed of starch and protein which when combined with water creates a paste, called gluten, that can be stretched and rolled without breaking.
These properties allow the finished licorice paste to be extruded into various sizes and shapes. The flour is also responsible for the licorice's shiny appearance because during licorice manufacture, the starch in the flour is gelatinized.
Many other ingredients are incorporated into a licorice recipe to produce the familiar candy. To give the candy flavor and color, licorice black juice is included at a level from 1. Since this material is quite expensive, it is often diluted with aniseed oils. Liquid caramel may also be used for a similar purpose. Other natural flavors obtained from fruits, berries, honey, molasses, and maple sugar have also been used in licorice. The impact of these flavors can be improved by the addition of artificial flavors, which are mixtures of aromatic chemicals.
Salt is also included to improve the final flavor of the candy. Additionally, acids such as citric acid, lactic acid, and malic acid can be added to provide flavor. Processing ingredients are important in licorice manufacturing. By the 17th century , the modern style of licorice candy we know and love today began to emerge in Holland, and to this day Dutch youth are known to drop a piece of licorice root into a water bottle to sweeten the water.
This is because licorice contains glycyrrhizin, a compound that is said to be times sweeter than sugar. With its sweet licorice flavor and medicinal properties, you might already think of licorice as a wonder plant, but It can do even more! Water treated with licorice extract was used to extinguish fires prior to our modern methods. Even the dregs of licorice root, left over once the other useful parts of the root have been removed, have been used to make boards that are fairly sturdy and often used for boxes.
Its properties have been revered by Buddhist monks and Greek philosophers, war heroes and, more recently, medical experts. From its roots in medicine to sweetening cakes to the black licorice candy we know today, the history of licorice and licorice candy is certainly a fascinating one.
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