I first tried black liquorice ice cream when I was studying in Germany and went to visit a friend in Denmark. It was delicious and I was immediately hooked. I think I ate it three more times on that trip but I have rarely found it in other countries.

When I was trying to decide on which ice cream flavours to include in this Ice ice, Baby series, I knew that black liquorice ice cream was one I had to try and recreate for myself (you’re lucky I didn’t go for the caramel vegemite ice cream that we had on the Great Ocean Road!).

Of course, it helps that I love liquorice. Mum loved liquorice too, so I can imagine this ice cream would have been a favourite.

Black liquorice ice cream is relatively sweet and creamy, with a mild liquorice or aniseed aftertaste. Liquorice lovers LOVE it. Like me, one of our family friends is a liquorice fan and she loved it so much, she begged me for the recipe.

However, as the liquorice taste is not strong, there is a good chance you will like it even if you don’t normally like liquorice.

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Tips for making the perfect black liquorice ice cream

Cut the liquorice into small pieces. Smaller pieces will melt easier (and quicker). If the melting liquorice is still chunky and it starts to stick to the saucepan, add more water and stir well.

Make sure you don’t use salmiak liquorice. Salmiak liquorice is flavoured with ammoniac chloride, making it very salty. It is very popular in Scandinavia, the Benelux and the north of Germany.

Salmiak liquorice would overpower this recipe. Think salted caramel that is way too salty and has an aniseed aftertaste. Hard salmiak liquorice would also be very difficult to melt.

I would definitely recommend using food colouring, though this is only for optics. Without it, the ice cream will be grey-brown, and look like dirty dishwater. It will still taste great, though.

Nothing in this recipe is difficult. However, it does require some time simply so that melted liquorice and mixed liquorice, egg and milk mixtures can cool before performing each next step.

Ice cream essentials - free printable of 12 tips for perfect homemade ice cream

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Great for celebrations

This black liquorice ice cream can be so dark, it is perfect for Halloween. It would also look great at a black and white themed 18th or 21st party, for example. If you plan to share it, make at least two batches at it does not make much.

Try the black liquorice ice cream with raspberry tea sorbet and mango for a colour explosion in your bowl. You could even use it to make German or Belgian flag sundaes. With the World Cup and the Olympic Games on the horizon, this could be very helpful.

Try this black liquorice ice cream for something unusual but delicious!

A common Danish recipe that we have recreated for the rest of the world: add this unusual but delicious and creamy ice cream recipe to your arsenal. You never know when it might come in handy for a dessert to fit the party theme!

Are you a liquorice lover? Are you going to take the risk and try black liquorice ice cream? Will you be adding the food colouring or staying ‘muddled’?

Be sure to check out the other fabulous recipes in our Ice ice, Baby! series. We are nearing the end, so you have more to choose from. If you haven’t taken our free quiz, make sure you do. It will tell you what your ice cream choices tell you about your personality. Some of it is even based on real science!

Black liquorice ice cream

Black liquorice ice cream is creamy with a mild liquorice or aniseed aftertaste that makes it perfect for liquorice lovers, but it is mild enough that even those who don’t love liquorice enjoy it.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Cuisine Danish/Australian

Servings servings

Equipment

Ingredients

100 g black liquorice cut into small pieces
1/2 cup water
1 cup whole milk
1 cup double cream
3 egg yolks size L
1/2 cup fine sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
A good pinch of salt
A few drops of black food colouring optional

Instructions

Place the liquorice and water in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes, until the liquorice has melted. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Pour the milk and cream into another saucepan and heat on low until it starts to steam. Do not bring to the boil! Remove from heat and allow to cool while you do the next step.
Place the eggs in a heatproof bowl (I just used my KitchenAid with the whisk attachment) and whisk. Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and whisk until pale and fluffy.
While whisking, add the milk and cream mixture a little at a time (I added about 1/3 of a ladle at a time). Wait until this amount is combined before adding any more. The aim is not to let the eggs scramble.
Once all the milk and cream mixture is added, whisk for about 1 minute to combine well.
Pour the egg and milk mixture into a saucepan and place over low heat. Add the liquorice and stir well. Add the black food dye.
Warm, stirring the mixture until it thickens a little so that it coats the back of a spoon. Then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Pour into your ice cream maker and prepare according to manufacturer instructions. If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a freezer container and place in the freezer. Remove after an hour and then every 30 minutes thereafter (approximately) to mix well to remove lumps. Continue to do this until the right consistency is reached.

Notes

Avoid using salmiac liquorice in this recipe. It is normally so salty that it will overpower the recipe.

If your egg and milk mixture is lumpy, you can strain it through a strainer to remove the lumps. Alternatively, wait for the mixture to cool and then whizz it in the blender or with a hand blender to remove or minimise the lumps.

Nutrition

Serving: 100gCalories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 87mgPotassium: 70mgSugar: 21gVitamin A: 584IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 1mg

Keyword homemade ice cream

Have you tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!