Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Licorice Syurp

Sethro

By Sethro
in Pastry & Baking

 Share

Recommended Posts

Sethro

Sethro

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

I was hoping to go with real, but I already prefer imitation cocnut extract so what the hell.

Is it black though? What I really need is black, and I'm trying to avoid breaking my food coloring dam.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SweetSide

SweetSide

Posted
Posted
I was hoping to go with real, but I already prefer imitation cocnut extract so what the hell.

Is it black though? What I really need is black, and I'm trying to avoid breaking my food coloring dam.

No, pastis is clear. When added to the syrup mix, it turns and stays cloudy.

Cheryl, The Sweet Side
Link to comment
Share on other sites
tan319

tan319

Posted
Posted
I was hoping to go with real, but I already prefer imitation cocnut extract so what the hell.

Is it black though? What I really need is black, and I'm trying to avoid breaking my food coloring dam.

No, pastis is clear. When added to the syrup mix, it turns and stays cloudy.

Michael Laiskonis had a recipe in a 10 best PA&D where his licorice syrup was made of drops, I took them to be like Ludens cough drops?

No medicine in them just a soothing drop( great flavor, BTW)..

Just melt them down in a bit of water or maybe you could try simple syrup, infuse the syrup or let them slowly dissolve in it.

That might be the tic.

It will be black.

I can try to find the exact method but I think the former was it.

If it isn't thick enough or have enough body maybe thicken with some gelitine or likewise product, agar, careengen (sic/)

Good luck!

2317/5000

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sethro

Sethro

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Thanks Ted!

I think Licorice Drops might actually be the name of those gummy candies that are sort of thimble shaped. I've never had the Luden's but the thought of cooking with cough drops is scary!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SweetSide

SweetSide

Posted
Posted

Panda licorice chews may work also then. Those beat the Crows (gummy thimble ones you're thinking of), and these use real licorice. Black too. Eeeww on the actual cough drop thought though. I think many of them have menthol in them.

Cheryl, The Sweet Side
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Beanie

Beanie

Posted
Posted

I have a few ideas about this. First, I checked the ingredients in three types of licorice: Panda (mentioned above), Kookaburra (the thick twisted rope) and LaPipette (black pipe made in Finland.) Most of the ingredients are liquid and they all seem to be bound with wheat flour and modified food starch. You can probably make a syrup based on some combination of these ingredients. Here are the ingredients:

Panda: molasses, wheat flour, licorice extract, natural flavor (aniseed oil)

Kookaburra: Treacle, wheat flour, wheat syrup, molasses, raw sugar, water, modified food starch, partially-hydrogenated palm oil, caramel color, licorice extract, natural flavor, salt, monoglyceride.

LaPipette: corn syrup, wheat flour, molasses, sugar, licorice, caramel color, salt, sorbic acid, natural flavor.

I also did an experiment. I cut up a piece of Kookaburra licorice and put it in a bowl with a little water and nuked it in the microwave. It gets very, very hot due to the sugar content. I mixed it up and smooshed the licorice in the water. It got very soft and began dissolving. I did this a couple of times until it was almost all melted. A stick blender would have helped. I think you could get a syrup with the right balance of licorice and water.

Ilene

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sethro

Sethro

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)

Wow, thanks for the extra effort!

I actually picked up some of the Finnish licorice today. It was the softest and stickiest I could find, so I figured it had less of whatever might cause lumping if used in a syrup. I suppose that would be the wheat flour.

Anyways, I'm off to experiment with it. I'm going to start it on a double boiler with just a couple Tbsp of water to get it going, and dilute it more as necesary from there.

...back later with results.

Edited by Sethro (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sethro

Sethro

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Okay, so 4:1 / water:licorice gave a nice consistency and flavor, but the color was more of a dark caramel than black.

My conclusion is that this would be alot easier and more cost effective to do with water, sugar, licorice extract, black food color and xantham. The candies are artificially colored to begin with, so I figure what's the difference. Plus, licorice candies are damn expensive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tan319

tan319

Posted
Posted
Thanks Ted!

I think Licorice Drops might actually be the name of those gummy candies that are sort of thimble shaped. I've never had the Luden's but the thought of cooking with cough drops is scary!

Don't want this to sound like an endorsement but Ludens are non medicinal, the original flavor is a very clear thick and (bright?) licorice, no medicine, no Halls or Fishermans friends effect,

Panda and that stuff could possibly have some flour in them?

Don't know if it would be a pure melt.

Since you're thinking of using an extract maybe use a root or powder ( an herbalist should stock both), get your flavor together , then your color and texture.

Let us know what shakes.

2317/5000

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Woods

Woods

Posted
Posted
Okay, so 4:1 / water:licorice gave a nice consistency and flavor, but the color was more of a dark caramel than black.

My conclusion is that this would be alot easier and more cost effective to do with water, sugar, licorice extract, black food color and xantham. The candies are artificially colored to begin with, so I figure what's the difference. Plus, licorice candies are damn expensive.

Sethro, you can find licorice root in Asian groceries. That might be worth experimenting with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Digijam

Digijam

Posted
Posted

When making licorice ice cream I've always just gone down the melted candy route. Figure it's less hassle than trying to make a syrup from scratch.

There is a recipe using the root here: Licorice - Herbalism Forum . But I'd expect you're going to have the same problem of expense, given that a bag of licorice root costs about the same as a bag of the candy.

And that recipe still call for food colouring...

restaurant, private catering, consultancy
feast for the senses / blog

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SweetSide

SweetSide

Posted
Posted

Also in the above mentioned website and here as wellCLICK, it lists the drug effects of licorice root. Due to personal health reasons, I know that I should not eat anything made from real licorice roots. Can only have those that are flavored "like" licorice.

If you go the root way, read up on the warnings.

Cheryl, The Sweet Side
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Beanie

Beanie

Posted
Posted

The ingredient lists that I gave above all include "natural flavor," but the flavor is not identified on any of the labels. I wouldn't be surprised if they all contained anise for flavoring. I read on a web site (sorry I don't have the link) that the flavor we associate with licorice is not really from licorice, but anise. And many licorice candies contain anise and black food coloring. I agree with Sweetside that you should check the warnings on any herb used for consumption. Click here for more information on the effects and medicinal uses of licorice.

Ilene

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sethro

Sethro

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)

I switched gears and did this instead:

Anise Caviar

8 oz water

4 oz sugar

1/2 tsp anise extract

1/8 tsp salt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 c tiny tapioca pearls

black food color

Make a syrup with the water, sugar, anise extract and salt. Cool completely and add tapioca pearls. Add black food color and refrigerate overnight.

Strain tapioca pearls and reserve syrup. Bring syrup to boil and add tapioca, stirring constantly. Simmer for about 30 seconds,or until tapioca floats and becomes translucent. Strain tapioca and reserve syrup. Transfer tapioca to tammi or large sieve and chill under cold water. Pack and store.

Edited by Sethro (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sethro

Sethro

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Unfortunately I'm restricted to purveyors who I can create an account with in NYC. Thanks for finding the syrup though, I wonder if its any good.

The Anise "Caviar" is quite awesome. The only problem is it's more purpleish than black. Tapioca doesn't really absorb alo of color. Oh well I'm using it anyhow!

I will charge up the digicam and get a pick of the dessert this week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
miladyinsanity

miladyinsanity

Posted
Posted
Unfortunately I'm restricted to purveyors who I can create an account with in NYC. Thanks for finding the syrup though, I wonder if its any good.

The Anise "Caviar" is quite awesome. The only problem is it's more purpleish than black. Tapioca doesn't really absorb alo of color. Oh well I'm using it anyhow!

I will charge up the digicam and get a pick of the dessert this week.

There are colored tapioca balls. Not sure where you could find them though.

May

Totally More-ish: The New and Improved Foodblog

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sethro

Sethro

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

I found some black boba but I wanted to stick with mini-boba so it mimicks caviar. As far as I can discern from th net, mini black bobas don't exist, so I think I'll have to wind up making my own somehow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...