Salmiakki

Ingredients

Base

• 200 gsugar
• 150 ggolden syrup or glucose
• 100 mlwater
• 60 gbutter

Liquorice

• 3 tbspliquorice root extract, or 2 tbsp liquorice powder

The salmiak

• 2 tspammonium chloride, salmiakki salt, food grade

Also

• 40 gcornflour
• 1 tspactivated charcoal or black colouring
• a pinch of salt

Equipment

• a sugar thermometer
• a lined tin
• gloves

To serve

• in very small pieces

Directions

1. Use a thermometer and be exact. Below this the sweet stays soft and sticky; above it, it turns hard and brittle rather than chewy.
2. Stir in the butter and the liquorice extract. Slake the cornflour in a little cold water and whisk it in, cooking until it thickens.
3. Add the salmiak off the heat and stand back. It hisses and releases a sharp ammonia smell, which is normal and which you do not want in your face.
4. Stir it in quickly and thoroughly. Add the charcoal or colouring, which gives the characteristic black.
5. Pour it into a lined tin and level the surface. Now let it set at room temperature for at least 12 hours, uncovered.
6. Let it dry uncovered and slowly. Salmiakki needs to lose surface moisture to firm up, and refrigerating it makes it weep and go sticky. Turn it out and cut it into small pieces with an oiled knife. Cut them small.
7. Dust the pieces lightly with more salmiak salt if you want the harsh version, or leave them plain. Humidity is the enemy and they go tacky within hours in a damp room.

Technique

• Salmiakki koskenkorva, salty liquorice vodka, is a Finnish institution in its own right.
• The strength varies enormously between brands and some are extremely harsh.
• It is one of the most divisive foods anywhere, and Finns are entirely aware of it.

Substitutions

• Ready-made salmiakki, which is sold across the Nordics and online.
• Liquorice powder in place of extract, adjusting for strength.

Variations

• Turkinpippuri, with a powdered salmiak centre.
• Soft chewy salmiakki, boiled to a lower temperature.
• Salmiakki ice cream or vodka.

History

A salted licorice candy flavoured with ammonium chloride, a mineral salt that gives the candy its distinctive sharp, almost chemical salty taste, generally introduced to Finland in the early 1900s, with the specific ammonium chloride flavouring reportedly first used commercially by a Finnish pharmacist who had originally developed it as a medicinal cough remedy before it was adapted into confectionery. Salmiakki’s intensely polarizing flavour, widely enjoyed within Finland and several other Nordic countries but often found startling or unpleasant by people unfamiliar with it, has made it something of a cultural touchstone specifically associated with Finnish and broader Nordic candy culture in a way few other national confections are. Countless flavour variations now exist, including salmiakki-flavoured vodka and other novelty products building on the original candy’s distinctive taste.

Frequently asked questions

What is Salmiakki?

Salmiakki is a snack from Finland: beloved salty-liquorice candy, an acquired taste. A salted licorice candy flavoured with ammonium chloride, a mineral salt that gives the candy its distinctive sharp, almost chemical salty taste, generally introduced to Finland in the early 1900s, with the specific ammonium chloride flavouring reportedly first used commercially by a Finnish pharmacist who had originally developed it as a medicinal cough remedy before it was adapted into confectionery. Salmiakki’s intensely polarizing flavour, widely enjoyed within Finland and several other Nordic countries but often found startling or unpleasant by people unfamiliar with it, has made it something of a cultural touchstone specifically associated with Finnish and broader Nordic candy culture in a way few other national confections are. Countless flavour variations now exist, including salmiakki-flavoured vodka and other novelty products building on the original candy’s distinctive taste.

How long does Salmiakki take to make?

Salmiakki takes 20 min plus 12 hr setting of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 40 pieces. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Salmiakki?

Yes, within limits. Ready-made salmiakki, which is sold across the Nordics and online. Liquorice powder in place of extract, adjusting for strength.

What is the most important thing to get right in Salmiakki?

Use a thermometer and be exact. Below this the sweet stays soft and sticky; above it, it turns hard and brittle rather than chewy.