black licorice ice cream
Whether you’re in a mood for an adventurous dessert or have been on a hunt for black licorice ice cream, this dessert is sure to hit the spot! This ice cream is rich and bold - perfect for a black licorice lover!
Licorice root and ancient Egypt
Licorice root has been used for pharmaceutical purposes for centuries by many different cultures. Ancient Egyptians made it into a sweet drink to help with skin diseases, eye problems, cough and to prevent hair loss. According to hieroglyphics this drink was mainly consumed by men. Fun fact - along with other treasures, King Tut was buried with large quantities of licorice root! Now let’s make some ice cream!
How to make black licorice ice cream?
Put ice cream machine tub in freezer. In a small pot whisk together egg yolks and sugar until the color is light yellow. In a small sauce pan over low heat bring milk to simmer, do not stir. Then slowly pour the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking vigorously. Put the custard base back over low heat and whisk constantly until the temperature reaches 165f. Pour the custard base in an airtight container and refrigerate over night. Place black licorice in a small sauce pan with a few tablespoons of water. Keep stirring over low heat until the licorice has melted, adding water as it evaporates. This will take about 1-2 hours and you will use about 2 cups of water. Once the licorice has completely melted, whisk it together with cream, black food coloring, and vanilla until smooth. Refrigerate until cool. Then whisk together the black licorice mixture and custard base, and pour it in the ice cream machine tub. Churn for about 15-30 minutes until the texture is similar to soft serve ice cream. Place the ice cream in containers and freeze for minimum of 4 hours.
Tips
Make sure to put the ice cream tub in the freezer the day (or two) before to make sure it’s cold enough to churn the ice cream.
When making the custard base make sure to pour the hot milk in the egg yolks slowly while whisking vigorously so they don’t end up heating up too fast and scrambling. This process of slowly pouring hot milk (or liquid) into raw egg yolks to cook them without curdling/scrambling in order to create a stable base is called tempering.
While not as aesthetically pleasing, skipping the food coloring will avoid black mouths after eating!
Recommended products to make this recipe
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