Regaliz

“Regaliz” is Spanish for liquorice. It can mean the liquorice plant and its root, or sweets flavoured with liquorice extract.

They’re usually made with liquorice-root extract, sugar or syrup, and other ingredients that give them their texture and flavour. Some sweets also contain aniseed or are flavoured with mint.

Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Humidity can make them sticky, while leaving them exposed to air can make them dry and hard.

Yes. A small amount of liquorice powder can flavour biscuits, cakes or chocolate desserts; mix it thoroughly into the dry ingredients so it doesn’t clump. Liquorice sweets can be chopped and folded into a bake, but may turn sticky as they warm.

Liquorice works well with dark chocolate, citrus, ginger and warm spices such as cinnamon. Aniseed and fennel make a natural pairing because they share a sweet, aromatic flavour.

No. Liquorice flavour comes from the root of the liquorice plant, while aniseed comes from the seeds of a different plant. They taste similar enough that aniseed is sometimes used to flavour liquorice sweets.