Is Liquorice Root Powder The Same As Liquorice Powder?

Our answer

Nigella uses liquorice powder in the Liquorice And Blackcurrant Chocolate Cake from SIMPLY NIGELLA). The powder adds a licquorice hint that pairs deliciously with the blackcurrant. The liquorice powder is unsweetened and a fine powder, so that it blends easily with other ingredietns.

We contacted Lakrids to find out the difference between the two products. Their response is that both are made from liquorice root, but they can behave a bit differently depending on how finely they are milled and how concentrated they are. This can influence both flavour intensity and how they dissolve or blend into doughs, creams or sauces. Because of this, Lakrids unfortunately can’t guarantee they will behave exactly the same in every recipe. As a general guideline, Lakrids would recommend:

• Starting with a slightly smaller amount of liquorice root powder than the previous liquorice powder.
• Taste and adjust gradually, especially in desserts where the liquorice flavour can become intense.

For liquids (custards, sauces, ice cream bases), liquorice root powder usually blends in well if you whisk it in thoroughly. For doughs and batters, it can sometimes help to mix the liquorice root powder first with a bit of sugar or other dry ingredients to distribute it more evenly. Since Lakrids does not have a one‑to‑one official conversion between the old liquorice powder and the current liquorice root powder, they would always recommend testing on a small batch the first time you switch, just to fine‑tune flavour and texture to your liking.