Licorice is a candy made from the root of licorice, a plant native to Europe and Asia. Licorice is characterized by its strong, bitter flavor. Many types of licorice candy are available -- from salty, intensely flavored licorice to sweet and fruity red licorice.
History of Licorice
The use of licorice dates to ancient Egypt, where it was used for medicinal purposes. According to Licorice International, hieroglyphs depict licorice being used to make popular beverages. Licorice was also used to cure coughs and improve skin and eye health. Modern licorice candy was first produced in Holland in the 1600s. As trading markets expanded, the treat was exported throughout Europe and, later, into America. Today, many types of licorice are available in candy stores worldwide.
Black Licorice
Black licorice is the traditional form of licorice candy, with a slightly bitter and mildly salty flavor. Its texture ranges from very tough to soft and chewy. The ingredients in black licorice vary greatly, depending on the quality of the licorice and where it is produced. Black licorice is typically made from flour, molasses and licorice root extract. Other sweeteners, such as beet syrup, white sugar or cane sugar, may be added. You can purchase licorice that contains additional ingredients, such as aniseed extract, oils, wax and artificial flavorings.
Red Licorice
Red licorice is a sweeter variation of black licorice. Because red licorice does not contain licorice extract, it does not have the intense flavor of black licorice. Instead, red licorice is flavored with sweeteners, such as corn syrup, sugar, cane sugar and artificial flavoring. Red Vines, the most popular licorice brand in the United States, is sweetened with corn syrup, according to the company website. To maintain the same texture as black licorice, red licorice contains wheat flour. Red licorice is often enhanced with fruit flavors, such as cherry, strawberry or raspberry.
Confectionery Licorice
Besides red and black licorice, many types of confectionery licorice are available. You can find chocolate-coated black and red licorice at many candy stores, as well as cream-filled licorice. Cream fillings in licorice range from fruit-flavored to vanilla and chocolate. Candy-coated licorice is a popular type of confectionery licorice. Licorice Bridge Mix, a retail licorice product, often contains many types of candy-coated and cream-filled licorice.
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