Salmiakki (Salty Liquorice Sweets) 🍬

Méthode

1. 1

   Line a tray with baking paper and dust a mould (or a fork-pressed groove pattern) heavily with starch. This candy sets in a hurry — prep before you light the stove.

2. 2

   Warm the syrups and sugar in a heavy pan until dissolved, then stir in the gum arabic and cook, stirring, to about 140 C (hard-ball stage — a drop in cold water forms a hard, crackling bead).

3. 3

   Off the heat, quickly whisk in liquorice powder, ammonium chloride salt and starch until the mass is stiff and uniform. More salmiak salt means the classic tingle; start with one teaspoon.

4. 4

   Tip onto the starched mould, press into diamonds, meteors or jelly-bean shapes, and dust over with starch. Set aside until fully cool and firm, at least a couple of hours.

5. 5

   Brush off excess starch and store in a sealed tin between paper. Traditional Finnish wisdom: let them rest a day — the liquorice and salt marry overnight. Serve in a paper cone, like every sweet shop in Helsinki does.