Scandi Candy: Sampling Sweden’s Salty Black Licorice

The first time I tried salty black licorice at Sockerbit, a New York-based shop that specializes in Swedish candy, I was immediately intrigued. The sweet-and-savory factor was right up my alley, and although some of the more aggressive flavors were a bit difficult to stomach, I really loved lakrifun — a hard shelled, Good N Plenty-esque candy that get their name because of their resemblance to a piece of chalk. So when I booked my trip to West Sweden, I knew I had to get my hands on some of salty black licorice right at the source. 

The Nordic countries have a real fascination with salty black licorice in its various forms. Pronounced “low-kris” or “lah-kris,” depending on who you talk to, it’s a popular after school snack for kids and adults alike. Licorice and other candies are typically sold in bulk bins and paid for by the gram at supermarkets, malls, and of course in dedicated candy shops like Sjutton Kvadratmeter Lakrits, a charming candy shop which we visited in Gothenburg for our video. 

In addition to being some of the top coffee drinkers worldwide, Swedes are also some of the highest consumers of candies per capita, particularly the salty varieties of licorice, which are flavored by salmiak, a salty powder. According to Vice, this salmiak powder is actually ammonium chloride—a salty chemical compound resulting from the reaction between hydrochloric acid and ammonia. The fine salt is mixed with sugar, starch, wheat flour, and extracts from dried licorice root, and then heated to reach the desired consistency. Doesn’t sound very appetizing, but trust me when I say it’s tasty. (I joked that they’re kinda my people, and it turns out after a genealogy test, they are! Maybe that’s where my penchant for this controversial treat comes from.

My favorite item we tried was the chocolate-coated passionfruit black licorice from a boutique brand called Johan Bülow. I tried bringing them home but ended up eating the entire jar on the plane, they were just that good! 

Aside from the unique flavor combo,  another draw to these Scandinavian treats is that there’s no nasty stuff in it — no GMOs, no fake dyes, and no high fructose corn syrup. In other words, smart, like the rest of Sweden. 

Check out the vid and let me know: would you try salty black licorice?