liquorice ice cream

[bea]

Does anyone have a recipe for liquorice ice cream please? To be made in a home kitchen, enough for eight people.

[W.DeBord]

Why couldn't you add anise extract to your regular custard to flavor?

[bea]

I read this:
Philip Searle

"When I attempt a dish, I look for an instinctive harmony that exists between things. I look for the thread, the juxtaposition, the contrast; the link in palate that joins, say, the pineapple, the licorice and the star anise in my chequerboard icecream, for example. I've always tried to do this very carefully."

and was intrigued, hence the request for a liquorice ice cream recipe.


Is anise the same as liquorice? I have web searched and can find no recipes but references to Philip Searle and his famous checkerboard icecream.

Making it is probably a task for a professional anyway but I was curious and thought I might try.

[Isa]

Anis is a spice. Licorice, if it is the English translation of réglisse, is a plant. The roots are used as a flavouring. If you are lucky, you can find a store that sells it. I know they have it at the market here but that won't help you. Try calling mid eastern stores.

[m brown]

I used to make this flavor ice cream by melting rich Licorice candy into my base. the colour is funky but the flavor is wild. throw in a piece of the root for more levels of flavor.

[Suzanne]

Dear Bea:
Some years ago, I seem to remember, Vogue Travel and Entertaining (the Australian edition) had a recipe for that -- done as M. Brown describes with an Australian brand of candy melted in. It might have been around 1997, the spring or summer issue. (Sorry, I can't seem to find it in my files, though.)

In my files, I did find this from Gary Danko, in San Francisco (printed in the NY Times on 3/22/00):

Licorice Ice Cream

3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 cup licorice root, chipped*
10 Egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt.

1. In a large saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cream, the milk and vanilla bean. Place over medium heat and bring almost to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in licorice root, cover and steep for 20 to 25 minutes.

2. In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, combine egg yolks, sugar and salt. Mix with a whisk untill well combined. Strain licorice and vanilla bean from milk mixture and whisk milk into egg yolk mixture. Place over medium heat, stirring constantly, cooking until mixture is lightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining heavy cream. Strain, cool and refrigerate overnight.

3. Pour into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Store in a covered container in freezer. Serve about two sccops a person.

Yield: About one and a half quarts.

* Licorice root is sold in health food stores as licorice root bulk tea or chipped licorice; it resembles wood chips. Do not buy licorice root sticks, which are difficult to cut.

[Risa]

I googled for "licorice ice cream" and came up with several links. Click here . I looked at a few of the recipes and all the ones I saw were as M Brown describes. You melt 1-inch pieces of licorice candy into your base. For an extra licorice kick, you can add pernod.

[Isa]

I have anise oil that I use when making hard candy. A few drops could flavour your ice cream.

[bea]

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I have found out where I can buy liquorice root and will try the variations.
Bea