Lakrids by Bülow: Where to Start with Danish Chocolate Liquorice

Lakrids is Danish for liquorice (or licorice, if that's your preference). Johan Bülow started off just making liquorice in a small shop on the island of Bornholm in 2007, and then (depending on what you believe) may have borrowed the idea of coating it in chocolate from Iceland, where it's long been a popular combination. Wherever it originated, it's unquestionably delicious, and it's what Lakrids is known for now.

Each piece starts with a soft liquorice centre, gets a coat of chocolate, and is often finished with one more layer: a dusting of liquorice powder, fruit, sea salt or a crunchy sugar shell.

Original is the classic and a great place to start. It's sweet black liquorice under milk chocolate and a fine dusting of liquorice powder, and has a purist appeal.

My favourite is Passionfruit, forever and always. White chocolate and tart passion fruit against sweet liquorice sounds like it wouldn't work, and yet it's addictive and super satisfying.

Classic Caramel and Crispy Raspberry are the two customers ask for most, and both are seasonal. Classic Caramel coats sweet liquorice in caramelised dulce chocolate with a crunch of sea salt, and it's popular enough that I now carry it in the big jar too. Crispy Raspberry is white chocolate with pink raspberry flakes and a hint of strawberry.

Sour Strawberry is new to the shop. Red liquorice is kind of its own thing, and red liquorice fans should not be kept from the joy of Lakrids. It wraps a chewy red liquorice centre in white chocolate and tart strawberry, finished with a crunchy sugar shell.

Every flavour comes in a 125g jar, and Classic Caramel also comes in a 270g jar.

If you can't decide, the advent calendar is a good way to try more of the range. Behind its 24 doors are the classics plus a few limited editions, two pieces each day. It's my first year carrying one, and I brought in a very limited number. I ship Lakrids across Canada, with free delivery in the GTA on orders over $125.

Lakrids also makes a salty version, which I haven't tried yet. If that's the one you're after, let me know.