CrabGrassAcres Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I really love the licorice you can get at Tractor Supply. It is chewy and sweet with lots of molasses in it. I can't find a good recipe and I've googled my eyes out looking. I don't want the recipe that uses raw flour and lets it dry into hard sticks without cooking. I want the chewy stuff. LOL I know it is LOTS cheaper to make it than to drive 60 miles round trip and buy the packages. I don't want the caramel recipe either. Picky, ain't I? Anybody have a recipe? Or will I have to hang over a hot stove experimenting? Link to comment
JCK88 Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Did you try a search on "Chewy licorice recipe?" I did and this is what I found... at allrecipes.com It does not use molasses. It uses anise extract and corn syrup...but it claims to be chewy. Licorice Caramels Submitted by: Paula Rated: 5 out of 5 by 11 members Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 3 Hours Yields: 64 servings "Caramels made with sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup are flavored with anise extract and colored black." INGREDIENTS: 1 cup butter 2 cups white sugar 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 cup corn syrup 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon anise extract black paste food coloring DIRECTIONS: 1. Line a 9x9 inch dish with buttered foil. 2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar, milk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Continue to heat, without stirring, to 242 to 248 degrees F (116 to 120 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat and stir in anise and food coloring. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool completely, several hours. 3. To cut, turn out of pan and peel away foil. Cut with a buttered knife. Wrap pieces in waxed paper or candy wrappers. Link to comment
CrabGrassAcres Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 Yes, I did. I might try that recipe later, but I don't have those ingredients on hand. Link to comment
JCK88 Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Trish, I've been searching too..and I see what you are up against! LOL if you EVER find a molasses recipe that works do share it! Meanwhile, I'll keep looking...cause now it's a matter of principle, LOL Link to comment
Stephanie Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Did you see this one? It sure looks good! http://www.uwstout.edu/chd/rendezvous/licorice candy.htm Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 anise is NOT licorice! licorice is licorice and it the root that the flavoring is extracted from... http://www.licoricerootextract.com/ Licorice Root Extract is from a Licorice plant called Glycyrrhiza Glabra originating in southern Europe, or Glycyrrhiza Uralensis from China. It contains glycyrrhizin, a very sweet syrup or powder which has medicinal properties. The Licorice Root Extract is obtained from the subterranean parts of the licorice plant by pounding the root, boiling it in water, then evaporating the liquid. Partial evaporation results in a syrup; further evaporation results in a gold-brown crystalline powder. The licorice powder is 50 times sweeter than sugar. Licorice Root Extract is being studied for its anti-viral effects. In particular it has a protective effect against Influenza, Influenza A (Avian Influenza or Bird Flu) and SARS, it inactivates herpes simplex and is used in Japan for the treatment of Hepatitis B. It is active against a wide variety of DNA and RNA viri. Selections from recent articles on these topics can be found here: http://www.licoricerootextract.com/lre-res...ct-research.htm well here is the recipe... well sort of the recipe! you will need to put on your white lab coat and become a licorice scientist! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licorice_candy Composition The essential ingredients of liquorice candy are liquorice extract, sugar, and a binder. The binder is typically starch/flour, gum arabic, or gelatin, or a combination thereof. Additional ingredients are extra flavoring, beeswax for a shiny surface, ammonium chloride, and molasses to give the end product the familiar black color.[1] Ammonium chloride is mainly used in salty liquorice candy, with concentrations up to about 8 percent. However, even regular liquorice candy can contain up to 2 percent ammonium chloride, the taste of which is less prominent due to the higher sugar concentration.[2] Production During manufacturing, the ingredients are dissolved in water and heated to 135 °C. In order to obtain candies of the desired shapes, the liquid is poured into molds, that are created by impressing holes into a container filled with starch powder. The liquid is then dried and the resulting candies are sprayed with beeswax in order to give their surface a shiny appearance. do go to the wiki link to get into on the ingredients... clickable links Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 http://www.answers.com/topic/liquorice How is licorice made? Background Licorice is a glossy, gelled candy with a semi-firm consistency that is flavored with licorice root extract. Typically, it is a moderately sweet candy, and is available in a variety of flavors such as black licorice, strawberry, cherry and chocolate. Currently, it is touted as a healthier snack food because it contains almost no fat per serving. It is made in a continuous process, which involves mixing and cooking, forming the candy, cutting it, and putting it in packaging. Licorice represents one of the oldest forms of candy with evidence suggesting it was made as early as the thirteenth century. It continues to be a popular product today making up a significant portion of the over $13 billion, annual non-chocolate candy market. It is anticipated that licorice manufacturers will try to increase yearly sales primarily by increasing the speed at which they can produce the candy. History Using sugar-refining techniques, Arabs first produced various types of lozenges for pharmaceutical applications. One type of lozenge was flavored with licorice, which is a native plant of the Mediterranean area. The Arab peoples believed that the licorice root had important medicinal uses. Evidence of this crude predecessor to the contemporary licorice candy suggests that licorice is one of the oldest types of candy known. During the thirteenth century, licorice root extract was widely used as a medicine for coughs, sore throats, and congestion. It is likely that merchants who sold this medicine combined it with honey to produce the first true licorice candies. Later, when sugar was more readily available, it was used instead of honey. In the late Middle Ages, licorice pastilles, which were cast in rough molds were widely known. Extruded licorice candy is thought to have originated in Holland at the start of the seventeenth century. It became one of the standard confection products for candy producers when the candy industry developed in the mid-1800s. Raw Materials 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. Sweeteners 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). Sweeteners make up about 60% of the licorice paste. Flour 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. It is typically incorporated into the licorice paste at about 25-40%. Flavorants, colorants, and other ingredients 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 1.5-4%. 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. Artificial colors such as certified FD&C colorants are used to modify the color of the final product. Processing ingredients are important in licorice manufacturing. Cornstarch is a high molecular weight sugar polymer that can have a wide range of functions in a licorice recipe. While it can be a sweetener, texture stabilizer and a gelling agent, it is primarily used as a coating ingredient to prevent pieces of licorice from sticking together. Soybean oil may also be used in the production of licorice. It provides some flavoring but also acts as a suitable lubricant during processing. Although licorice contains a high concentration of sugar, there is still a potential for microbial contamination. To prevent this type of contamination, potassium sorbate is included as a preservative in some licorice recipes. The Manufacturing Process Licorice manufacture begins with making a batch of licorice paste. The batch is then extruded through a nozzle, cooled, cut, and packaged automatically. Creating the slurry * The conventional method of producing licorice begins by making a slurry of the ingredients in the recipe. Factory workers, known as compounders, make slurry batches by pouring, or pumping, the appropriate amount of raw materials into large, stainless steel mixing tanks. These tanks are equipped with mixing, steam heating, and water cooling capabilities, and can accommodate batch sizes of 1,000-2,000 lb (454-908 kg) or more. The mixers in these tanks must efficiently sweep the sidewalls to prevent burning of the batch. When the slurry passes quality control tests, it can be pumped to the continuous cooker. Cooking * Using traditional techniques, the batches of licorice had to be cooked anywhere from two to four hours. Since the main objective of this cooking process was to reduce the moisture content of the slurry, a faster continuous process was developed. By using a continuous, high-pressure cooking method some manufacturers have cut the cooking time down to a few minutes. In one type of cooker, the slurry of licorice paste is pumped into a vertical evaporator tube, which is surrounded by a steam jacket. Revolving blades inside the tube cause a process of heat exchange (cooking) to occur between droplets of slurry and the cooker. This reduces the moisture level of the slurry, and creates a thin film of licorice candy, which is extruded through an outlet at the bottom of the tube. The candy accumulates in a semi-solid paste, which can then be pumped through an extruder. Extrusion * As the product leaves the cooker, it is pumped through electrically-heated pipes to the extruding machine. The paste goes through the extruder and is expelled on a conveyor as an endless strand of licorice. It can come out in a wide variety of shapes including braids, straws, twists, shoestrings and ribbons to name a few. Currently, extruders can handle over 2,000 lb (908 kg) of licorice per hour. Cutting * The licorice strands then travel along the conveyor to the cutter. As they move toward the cutter, they travel slow enough to cool to an appropriate temperature. This is important because it allows the candy to harden and set. When the licorice strands arrive at the cutter, they are cut "guillotine style" into pieces of a desired length. Final coating and packaging * From the cutter, the licorice pieces are moved along the conveyor to the package equipment. Along the way, they may be further dried and coated with a special glaze, which enhances the product's shine and keeps the pieces from sticking together in the bag. At the packaging stage, the licorice is lined up and stacked. It is placed on a horizontal flow wrapper and when enough pieces are available, the plastic film package is wrapped around the licorice and sealed on both ends. The package is then moved to a stamping machine, which prints a manufacturing tracking code number on it, and then to a boxing machine. Multiple packages are put into individual boxes. The boxes are stacked on pallets and the pallets are shipped on trucks to the food distributor. Quality Control The first part of quality control begins with the testing of incoming raw materials. Quality control lab technicians evaluate each ingredient prior to use to ensure that they conform to specifications. Sensory characteristics such as appearance, color, odor, and flavor are all checked. Other characteristics may also be examined such as viscosity of liquids, particle size of solids, and moisture content. Manufacturers depend on these tests to ensure that the ingredients they use will produce a consistent quality batch of licorice. Beyond testing of the initial ingredients, quality tests are also run on the licorice paste. This includes pH, viscosity, and appearance testing, but it also includes an evaluation of the gelatinization of the batch. It turns out that the quality of the licorice paste is dependent on the extent to which starch gelatinization takes place. If the batch has fully gelatinized, it will have a good gloss and hold the production count-lines. A partially gelatinized batch will have a cleaner bite. Since both of these properties are desired, the final batch must be tested to ensure that just the right amount of gelatinization has taken place. During production, quality control technicians check physical aspects of the extruded candy. The usual method of testing is to compare the newly-made product to an established standard. For example, the color of a randomly sampled licorice stick is compared to a standard licorice that was produced during product development. Other qualities of this sample such as taste, texture, and odor are evaluated by groups of sensory panelists. These are people who are specially trained to notice small differences in tactile properties. Additionally, many instrumental tests developed by the confectionery industry over the years are also performed to complement tests performed by humans. The Future The focus of research for licorice producers will be on developing faster, more efficient production methods. Most manufacturers have shifted away from the conventional method to a continuous process because the old batch method is slow and requires too much labor. To reduce manufacturing times, new cookers may be developed in the future. Another way to reduce times is by developing new licorice recipes. These recipes will use substitution ingredients, which can stabilize texture, extend shelf life while still reducing processing times and maintaining a desirable candy taste. *the link also offers references to books to make licorice. Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 medicinal link http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff/8032licorice.html Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Wheat Flour Based Licorice #1 These are works in Process. Please help us Develop these Recipes Recipe one: This recipe is very hard to find as it industry-guarded secret ever since the commercial candymakers came out with licorice whips about 100 years ago. The recipe basis came from Kamille Coffaro. Kamille is the daughter of a professional baker and member of an extended family who's almost all in food service business. Kamille suggests starting with: * Make a syrup of: sugar and molasses or Karo® plus a little vegetable oil and a dash of salt. o For black licorice the syrup would contain crude molasses and oil of anise or water replaced with LICORICE ROOT TEA o For red licorice, LIGHT KARO® and a combo of red raspberry and wild cherry extracts) * Cook to soft-ball stage, then add a little cake flour (cake flour gives a smoother texture and sweeter taste) and flavorings (licorice). * Extrude like pasta, to lend ropes a nice shape, then cure until desired consistency. Further insight came from Dave who suggested the following from gelatin.com: "In products such as licorice, gelatin, when combined with wheat flour acts as a binder greatly improving the moisture retention preventing cracking of the sheets at the extrusion stage. Levels of between 0.2-0.6% w/w are commonly used. The presence of gelatin also helps to prevent licorice products drying out in storage, improving product shelf-life." A few tips from a reader Amy: We made a couple of modifications, we used spelt flour, and added a couple pinches of salt. We also preferred a version we made using only licorice powder, no anise. (We made a no-licorice cocoa version too, yum!). We found that it was nice to roll the finished product in powdered sugar (we actually made our own, grinding organic sugar into a powder). This kept the finished candy from being sticky and made it easier to handle. Before rolling in the sugar, we rolled the licorice into thick (1/2") ropes, twisted them, and then cut with a kitchen shears when cool. Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Wheat Flour Based Licorice #2 These are works in Process. Please help us Develop these Recipes Recipe two: If you've ever made choux paste (cream puff/eclair pastry), I used the same method. I made a strong extract of licorice-root and anise seed - about 8" root, smashed, 2 tbsp. anise in about 6 cups of water, boiled it down to about half, strained it and got about 1 1/2 c. liquid. * 1 1/2c. liquid * 3/4c. blackstrap molasses * 1/4c. oil * Bring to the boil. Add: * 1 tbsp. pectin crystals (Certo® or other brand) * Boil hard for at least 1 minute then add all at once * 1 1/2c. flour (depends on humidity) Lower heat and stir constantly until batter forms a mass and pulls away from the sides of the pot. I extruded the dough through a pastry bag, but patting/rolling out dough then cutting to shape would work as well if not better. Leave licorice to dry and cure, turning every few hours to let it dry evenly. Takes at least a day to firm up, but I got good reviews! I found that the licorice tea was plenty sweet without the addition of sugar and the pectin keeps it moist and chewy without being sticky. It's a very forgiving process - the hardness of the flour determines the firmness of the end product - I used pastry flour, but I would recommend starting with at least all-purpose. I chose pectin over gelatin because I've worked with it before in allergy and gluten-free cooking. If you need to substitute another grain for wheat, I used pastry flour which works up exactly the same as spelt. Just sift the spelt flour first. Any other flour-replacement mix would yield a slightly different texture and mouth feel, but I would go easy on starches that cook up clear (e.g. arrowroot, cornstarch)- perhaps a blend that is higher in a non-gelatinous or non-mucilaginous feel as the primary part of the mix. Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Wheat Flour Based Licorice #3 These are works in Process. Please help us Develop these Recipes Recipe three: My great grandmother made excellent, very soft--old fashioned licorice candy-- her recipe- though I don't recall the exact amounts used - was most similar to the first recipe (from Kamille Coffaro) though she used: * A combination of Molasses and Sorghum -butter instead of oil * She made a separate, thick flour paste --using graham flour * The molasses-sorghum mixture was boiled to soft ball stage * Add salt ( it seemed as if she used more than a dash) * Add butter and a very strong licorice tea * Kneaded with the flour paste as it cooled, * Allowed to " set up" for a day * Shaped it * Put back into the fridge for another day to "ripen" Kindly submitted by: Anonymous Or molasses and sugar can be melted with water and butter to make a syrup, then boiled to soft ball stage. Next add flour then leave it to set. Again go through a melt and finally melt one more time. To shape, you can try using a pasta maker to roll it out work quickly. this produces a liquorice toffee texture. Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Licorice Candy Recipe The following recipe was developed by Ken Heintz and Peter D'Souza Yield: 2 pounds Ingredient Amount All purpose Flour 1 cup Corn Starch 1/2 cup Wheat Gluten 1/2 cup Powdered licorice root 1 1/2 Tbspn Powdered star anise 1 1/2 Tbspn Molasses 2 cups Method of Preparation 1. In a 2-quart microwave pot, mix all dry ingredients.. 2. Mix in molasses and mix thoroughly with a plastic spoon until mixture is smooth. 3. Place mixture in microwave oven and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. 4. Stop oven and stir mixture. 5. Repeat cook/stir cycle (8 times) for a total cooking time of 13.5 minutes in the microwave oven. Remove pot from oven. 6. Pour licorice on Teflon cookie sheet. While warm, press licorice to a patty about 1/2" thick. Allow to cool. Caution: mixture may be hot. Handle only when warm to touch. 7. Use a plastic knife to cut into 1 " strips, then roll into sticks. Sticks may be cut into bite-sized pieces with scissors. Notes: -ingredients can be purchased at any health food store, food coop, or natural food store. Some may require a special order. -licorice making is tricky. Total cooking time and ingredient quantities may be adjusted for a particular texture and taste. -variables in your kitchen include: microwave oven- wattage/make/size, atmospheric pressure, cooking pot material/dimension, stirring time, amount of stirring and accuracy in measuring ingredients. Happy licorice candy making. Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Natural Licorice Candy Treat your family to Licorice Candy to help cold and flu symptoms! Ingredients: Ground Licorice Root, Ground Anise Root, Molasses, Brown and White flour. Sorry I do not have the exact measurements as just made this recipe up and changes to taste. Warm up about 1 cup of molasses. Add approx 1 tsp each Licorice and Anise root, or to taste. Add flour till you have a consistency you can roll into tubes. Too much brown flour will give it a bitter taste. I add the brown flour for a healthier treat. Cut tubes into desired length. Can roll in icing sugar for a prettier look if desired. Let cool and candy will harden. This candy is delicious and has the true Licorice flavor. Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 the above recipes were found at http://www.licorice.org/Food/Recipes/Candy/candy.htm there are other recipes for licorice there... follow the link! Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 herbal recipes too http://www.licorice.org/Food/food.htm Link to comment
JCK88 Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Westie...are these candies hard candies or chewy? I am allergic to wheat flour and corn syrup so when someone finally comes up with a decent recipe, I'll have to tweak it even more, LOL! I had seen that recipe but she was looking for chewy ones..and they didn't sound like it...but maybe they are?? Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 from my understanding these are the recipes for the chewy rope licorice candy. a starch is used.. this doesn't mean wheat... read this quote "liquorice extract, sugar, and a binder. The binder is typically starch/flour, gum arabic, or gelatin, or a combination thereof" so this tells me that the starch can be wheat or gum arabic or gelatin! or any combination.. this act as a binder. Sugar is used rather then corn syrup. I posted all of this information so you can put on your lab coat and become a candy making scientist! always defer back to the original ingredients. Hard candy is sugar, water, flavoring cooked to a hard crack stage. It is my understanding that these recipes are are cooked to a soft ball stage. you would have to study the information. I am not a licorice eater.. cant stand the stuff actually.. dutch licorice that is very salty I will eat... but i chew the root if I have a sick tummy as I would ginger. I can't be any more help then this. Link to comment
westbrook Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 oh... look at the ingredients in the licorice you like and look at the similarities in the recipes and measurements. Link to comment
CrabGrassAcres Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 Thank-you! Westie and Judy! I'm mainly going to try to make a wheat based one for myself but when I get the hang of that I'm going to try some other types for my daughter. I already make her a potato fudge that she likes and is quick and easy for mom. It uses instant potatoes. I've always loved licorice so isn't it cool that it is good for you? In reasonable quantities, of course. LOL OK, where did I put that lab coat. Thought it was around here somewhere.......... good thing I gots LOTS of molasses and sugar and wheat......... Link to comment
CrabGrassAcres Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 Stephanie, almost missed yours! I don't have a microwave, but maybe the quantities given will work in a pot on the stove. I'll see. Thanks. Link to comment
Darlene Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 westie, could you explain all of the above in a little more detail please? lol Link to comment
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