Homemade Darrell Lea Batch 37 Inspired Liquorice Recipe


Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Yield: Makes about 10-12 sticks


I love the Darrell Lea Batch 37 liquorice. It’s distinctively liquorice, but the texture and flavour seem to be different to any other I have ever tasted.

Looking at the ingredients, it seems to be a traditional liquorice recipe with a few little additions. In the commercial production of liquorice, more specialised ingredients may be used. The flavour is primarily from liquorice root extract, which is more potent and has a distinctive flavour. In our version, we’ve substituted this with liquorice powder, which is easier for the home cook to source.

Traditional liquorice is often extruded through a machine to create uniformly shaped pieces. In the homemade version, shaping the liquorice into pieces is done manually, so they may not be as uniform. Additionally, we used honey as a glazing agent, whereas commercial products might use Carnauba wax or other specific agents to give their products a glossy finish.

Many of these products can be sourced from a store. However, the liquorice extract and aniseed oil may need to be sourced from a speciality grocer or health food store. I bought these things off Amazon. I have linked some of the speciality products to Amazon. I find it’s the best place to source these things.

Ingredients:

  • 150g White Sugar
  • 120g Glucose Syrup
  • 40g Wheat Flour
  • 40g Molasses
  • 20g Wheat Bran
  • 20g Sunflower Oil
  • 1g Liquorice Extract (approximately 1/4 teaspoon)
  • 0.1g Pure Anise Oil (use sparingly!)
  • A pinch of Salt
  • 2 Egg Yolks
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey

Instructions:

  1. Place sugar, glucose syrup, molasses, and wheat flour in a large saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring regularly until the ingredients blend into a smooth and uniform mixture.
  2. Add the sunflower oil, liquorice extract, anise oil, and salt into the saucepan. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
  3. As you keep stirring, gradually add in the egg yolks. The yolks will enhance the smoothness and prevent the mixture from separating.
  4. Let the mixture simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
  5. After 30 minutes, add the wheat bran. Stir swiftly to mix well. The mixture will now look thicker.
  6. Pour the mixture onto a flat, greased surface or onto wax paper. Allow it to cool.
  7. Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, cut it into strips and shape them as you prefer.
  8. Finally, apply a small amount of honey on your liquorice with a brush. This will add a subtle sweetness and give your liquorice a shiny, eye-catching finish.