This black licorice ice cream is for the people who get it - deep, dark, and unapologetically old school in the best way. It starts with a classic custard base for that rich, smooth texture, then gets blended with real melted black licorice (yes, the long simmer is worth it) plus cream and vanilla. Churn it into soft serve, freeze it firm, and you end up with a scoop that’s sweet, slightly mysterious, and definitely not trying to be vanilla.

What is the history of licorice?

Licorice has been around for thousands of years; long before it was a candy flavor people argue about online. It comes from the root of the licorice plant which was used in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and China as a medicinal herb for things like sore throat, digestion, and coughs. The root is naturally sweet because of a compound called glycyrrhizin, which is actually much sweeter than sugar and gives licorice its signature flavor. Over time licorice shifted from ‘medicinal root’ to a popular sweet in Europe, and eventually became the black licorice candy we know today; bold, herbal, and very much an acquired taste.

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!