what is licorice made of

Licorice candy is made of a variety of ingredients, including licorice extract or root extract, sugar, corn starch, rice flour or wheat flour, a binder, ammonium chloride, dark molasses, gelatin, salt, and other flavorings. The licorice extract or root extract is the main ingredient that gives licorice its bold flavor. However, in the U.S., licorice is usually flavored with other compounds without the root extract, glycyrrhizin, also known as glycyrrhizic acid, which is the compound that makes licorice sweet and gives it that signature taste. Anise or aniseed oil is commonly used to replace glycyrrhizin in those sweets, though occasionally sometimes other flavorings are used. Corn syrup is another common sweetener in licorice, and its typically used in addition to sugar because using multiple types of sweeteners enhances the sweetness properties of both on the tongue as you enjoy the treat. Corn syrup also inhibits sugars crystallization during the cooking process and helps keep the licorice fresh. Most traditional licorice candy uses wheat flour as a base, and other starches or flours are sometimes used when creating gluten-free black licorice. Other ingredients like gum arabic and gelatin help bind all the ingredients together to keep the licorice stable on the shelf in the same shape and quality as it left the manufacturer. Depending on the type of licorice, other ingredients may be used. For example, Dutch and Finnish licorice often contains ammonium chloride rather than sodium chloride, in salty licorice to give those confections.