Keto Licorice Recipe

4.98 from 34 votes!

A great keto licorice recipe was all we needed for long term happiness. If you are reading this you are more than likely a big licorice fan. Otherwise you wouldn't have looked right?

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Dessert Snack

Cuisine: American, Australian Keto, Dutch

Diet: Diabetic

Recipe Category: Low Carb

Servings: serves

Calories: 18kcal

Author: Megan Ellam

Ingredients

80 g water
20 g gelatin leaves 170 bloom or 40g gelatin powder 220 bloom, See Note 1 and 2
100 g sweetener of choice I use Sukrin:1, See Note 3
30 g Sukrin Gold Syrup or 40g Lakanto Gold sweetener, See Note 4
5 g salt See Note 5
3 teaspoons anise extract See Note 6
1 tablespoon black food colouring See Note 7
50 g whey protein isolate See Note 8

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

CONVENTIONAL METHOD

Line a 30 x 30 cm baking tray with baking paper. See Note 9.
Pour water into a medium-sized saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over surface of water or add gelatin leaves one at a time to the water, ensuring they are completely immersed in the water. Leave gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes.
Combine sweetener, syrup, salt and anise extract in a small bowl. Reserve
Place saucepan onto low-medium heat and begin to melt the gelatin. Whisk until all gelatin is dissolved and completely lump free. Add in sweetener mixture and whisk to combine.
Over low-medium heat bring licorice to a low boil. Whisk through black colour, if using. Once mixture has come to a low boil allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes.
Whisk whey protein isolate into licorice and continue to heat for 1-2 minutes whisking continuously. Do not leave it or allow it to burn.
Pour licorice into prepared tray. Work fast as licorice will begin to set. Spread mixture and tap tray to remove any bubbles and smooth the mixture. Place into the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes. Cut into strips.

Notes

1. I use Locako Pasture Raised Gelatin for soft eating licorice. 40g used in this recipe will give you a delicious soft licorice. When using powdered gelatin be sure to whisk and dissolve any lumps before adding remaining ingredients. Lumps will set hard and the licorice will not be enjoyable. More gelatin can be added for a firmer licorice.

2. When using gelatin leaves for a soft licorice you will need 170 bloom and 20g. Gelatin leaves can be found in specialty food stores or cake suppliers. McKenzies Gelatine Leaves that can be found at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. The bloom strength of McKenzies is 220-250. I use a full packet of this for a firm licorice for licorice bullets or Dutch salted licorice. It should be noted that using gelatin leaves gives you a much clearer licorice and blacker. That may sound weird but because powdered gelatin gives a murky appearance with water it also affects the end result of the colour as well.

3. Any white sweetener can be used in this recipe. I use Sukrin:1 and recommend a erythritol or monk fruit-based sweetener. Do not substitute a liquid sweetener or concentrated sweetener. Due to using 100g in this recipe it is better to choose a zero to very low carb sweetener.

4. Sukrin Gold Syrup is a low carb gluten free syrup similar to golden syrup. It adds a caramel note to the licorice. I have tested this recipe with different sweeteners and it has not set to a licorice consistency so I do not recommend any substitutions other than molasses which will add a lot of carbs.

5. I use Maldon salt flakes. Add more to the mixture if you prefer a salted Dutch style licorice and a pinch more and taste before pouring into moulds and add more if needed.

6. Anise extract is not available at the supermarket you can order from Natural Moorish online (in Australia) or at specialty food suppliers. You can make your own, but this takes a lot of time in soaking fennel or star anise in Vodka for months at a time. I use Chefs Choice and buy from a local store Bibina.

7. Black food colouring I get from Woolworths in baking aisle it is in a tube and is the Queens Fine Food brand. Alternatively, iHerb sell one too.

8. Whey Protein Isolate is used as a thickener in this recipe and also provides protein. Possibly a plant based or pea-based protein isolate can be used if you prefer to be dairy free but I have not tested it.

9. Licorice can be poured into moulds or a shallow tray and cut to shape.

Nutrition