Salty licorice, or salmiak, is a popular candy in Northern European countries. It combines licorice root extract, starch or gums, sugar, and ammonium chloride, giving it a salty, numbing kick and a tangy aftertaste. It was originally used in cough medicines and is still used to combat respiratory ailments. The largest market for these candies is in Finland, with the average Finn consuming more than 2 lbs. of salted licorice each year.
There is a little middle ground between those who love and hate black licorice. A solid step up from this distinctly bittersweet candy is salty licorice, or salmiak. Favored in Northern European countries, this so-called treatment combines a regular licorice root extract, starch or gums, and sugar with ammonium chloride. The compound gives salmiak not only a salty, numbing kick prized for its expectorant qualities, but also a tangy aftertaste that sticks long after the candy is gone.
Salty licorice began its rise to Nordic delicacy as an age-old ingredient in cough medicines. Since both licorice extract and ammonium chloride are long-standing ingredients in expectorants, pharmacists in Finland began making the two into candy lozenges in the early 20th century. All that was needed was sugar and some form of binding compound such as plant starch or acacia gum. Everyday Finns, Swedes, Norwegians, and others have taken to the flavor combination over time, though the saltiness and bitterness aren’t exactly candy-like characteristics. Eating them as hard candy became the norm, and some even began adding them as bitters to alcoholic beverages.
The sick or health conscious have used the candy to combat respiratory ailments or to stop them from taking hold. Singers have used them to clean pipes before performances, and some salty licorice makers have used opera singers as mouthpieces. The IFA brand of Nidar Co., founded in the early 1930s, is named after the famous singer Ivar F. Andresen, and his photo and signature still appear on the packaging as of 2011. The largest market for these candies is still in Finland , with the average Finn consuming more than 2 lbs. (about 1 kg) of salted licorice each year. Norwegians are in second place and eat half of it every year.
However, some can only digest so much ammonium chloride before the salty licorice starts to taste more like medicine and less like candy. The average content of the chemical hovers around 6 percent, though some brands like Double Zout or Double Salt have double that amount or more for a breast and sinus cleansing mist. At the other end of the spectrum are salmiak candies like panpteri, Finnish for panther, which softens the blow by dipping the final candies in sugar course to ease the senses into the experience.
Several other varieties manage to hold their own, including the Lakrisal brand. This candy is made with only ammonium chloride, sugar, and licorice, leaving the tablets brittle and light in color. An even more brilliant flavor is available such as Tyrkisk pekk, Danish for Turkish pepper, which jumps yet another culinary boundary.
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