Lakkrístoppar Are Icelandic Chocolate and Licorice Meringue Cookies

Summary: Chocolate and licorice flavor meringue cookies in Iceland's Lakkrístoppar, literally "licorice tops," a Christmas sweet with year-round appeal.

"God talks to human beings through many vectors: through each other, through organized religion, through the great books of those religions, through wise people, through art and music and literature and poetry, but nowhere with such detail and grace and color and joy as through creation. When we destroy a species, when we destroy a special place, we're diminishing our capacity to sense the divine, understand who God is and what our own potential is." Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., April 19, 2023, Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts.

“And there’s many people out there who want us to move to the next planet already and I’m like, hang on, let’s not give up on this planet yet," William, Prince of Wales, July 31, 2023, Sorted Food food truck, London, England, United Kingdom.

Lakkrístoppar ("Licorice Tops") flavor the Icelandic Christmas as meringue cookies with aromatic chocolate and licorice: Ljúfmeti og lekkerheit, via Facebook Dec. 21, 2015

Chocolate and licorice meringue cookies bake aromatically as Lakkrístoppar, literally "licorice tops," an Icelandic Christmas sweet that my family also enjoys throughout the year.

Ingredients:

3 eggs, with whites separated
7/8 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar
3/4 cup (150 grams) chocolate chips
1 package (4.4 ounces; 150 grams) Lakkrískurl ("licorice curls") by Nói Síríus

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius).
Place parchment paper on baking sheet.

Separate whites from yolks of three eggs.
Place egg whites in large bowl.
Set egg yolks in refrigerator. (My family favors using egg yolks for another Icelandic recipe, Eggjamjólk, Egg Soup.)

Gently whisk egg whites to fluffiness.
Slowly pour or spoon light brown sugar into bowl.
Lightly whisk to combine egg whites and sugar.
Then vigorously whisk mixture to form stiff peaks.

Gently fold chocolate chips and licorice curls into egg white and sugar mixture.

Scoop mixture with a teaspoon for placement on baking sheet's parchment paper.

Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius) for approximately 20 minutes, until cookies are slightly brown and lightly crispy,

Allow cookies to cool. (Sometimes my family serves Licorice Top cookies while still lightly warm.)


Yield: According to portion size of medium or thick scoops with teaspoon, recipe usually approximates two dozen (24) to three dozen (36) cookies.

Glycyrrhiza glabra is known as licorice in American English and as liquorice in Commonwealth English. The flowering plant with a sweetly flavored root members in the bean family Fabaceae. The herbaceous perennial legume is native to Western Asia, Southern Europe and North Africa.

Iceland's importation of licorice dates to the mid-19th century, according to Copenhagen-born, Reykjavik-raised journalist and social media content writer Helga Dís Björgúlfsdóttir in "Licorice in Iceland – A Love Story," posted Oct. 5, 2022, on Your Friend In Reykjavik blog. Licorice root's first appearances in Iceland occurred in pharmacies. Traditional medicinal properties of "apothecary licorice," known in Europe and in China, include effectiveness as cough suppressants, mucolytics for mucous control and laxatives, as noted by Linni Kral in "Why Is Iceland So in Love With Licorice?", posted April 24, 2017, on the Atlas Obscura website.

Opal debuted as the first Icelandic licorice product in 1945, according to Helga Dís Björgúlfsdóttir. Consistent with imported apothecary licorice, Reykjavik-based Sælgætisgerðin Opal ("Opal Confectionary") introduced Opal licorice tablets as a medicinal product available for purchase in pharmacies.

The popularity of Victory V, a British brand of licorice lozenges sold in red rectangular packages, had inspired Sælgætisgerðin Opal's creation of an Icelandic apothecary licorice, as credited by Lilja Katrín Gunnarsdóttir in "Yfir 100 tilraunir til að endurgera bláan Opal: 'Þetta hefur verið barátta' -- 'Laundrykkjumenn lagstir í Opal?'" in the Dec. 10, 2018, issue of Matur and also by Helga Dís Björgúlfsdóttir. Sælgætisgerðin Opal released the pioneer Icelandic licorice in a rectangular box with a distinctive pattern of red-and-white circles designed by Reykjavik-born painter and advertising graphic artist Atli Már Árnason (Jan. 17, 1918-Feb. 9, 2006). Iceland's first licorice product is known as rauður Opal ("red Opal").

Reykjavik-headquartered Icelandic chocolate and confection manufacturer Nói Sírius purchased Sælgætisgerðin Opal at the end of 1995, according to Sagan ("Our History") on Iceland's biggest candy producer's website (https://www.noi.is/fyrirtaekid/sagan/; English @ https://www.noi.is/en/about-noi-sirius/our-history/). Founded in 1920 as Brjóstsykursgerðin Nói, Nói Sírius, Nói purchased 1895-founded Sírius chocolate factory in 1933. In 1977 Nói and Sírius merged as Nói Sírius.

In 1962 Jón Sigurður Kjartansson and his two brothers founded Reykjavik-based Sambó Kólus as a manufacturer of pure licorice products, according to "Our Story" on the family confectionary's website (http://sambo.is/ourstory.html). Icelanders popularly pair Sambó's licorice rolls and straws as wraparounds with chocolate and as sippers with Egils Appelsín, according to Sambó's website and Helga Dís Björgúlfsdóttir. Egils Appelsín is an orange soda produced since 1955 by Ölgerðin Egill Skallagrímsson (Egill Skallagrimsson Brewery), a Reykjavik-based Icelandic beer and beverage company established in 1913.

In 1990, Kólus presented Icelandic chocolate-and-licorice lovers with Þristur ("three"). The Sambó brand's name reflects the confection's three main ingredients of caramel and licorice bits in a milk chocolate bar.

Iceland's Christmas tradition of Lakkrístoppar epitomizes the elevated aesthetic, gustatory status occupied by the combination of chocolate and licorice in the Land of Fire and Ice.

Reykjavik, Iceland-headquartered Nói Síríus includes the recipe for Lakkrístoppar on the Icelandic chocolate and confectionary manufacturer's packets of Lakkrískurl ("Licorice Curls"): Nói Síríus, via Facebook Nov. 18, 2011, @ https://www.facebook.com/noisirius/posts/10150411325432485

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

Lakkrístoppar ("Licorice Tops") flavor the Icelandic Christmas as meringue cookies with aromatic chocolate and licorice: Ljúfmeti og lekkerheit, via Facebook Dec. 21, 2015, @ https://www.facebook.com/ljufmeti/posts/1115776871766751/

Lakkrístoppar ("Licorice Tops") are easy to make, easy to eat and easy to enjoy: Iceland Food Centre, "Icelandic Christmas Meringue Cookies / Lakkrístoppar -- ICELAND FOOD CENTRE #15," via YouTube. Dec. 9, 2020, @ YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrAe2TrwrPU

Reykjavik, Iceland-headquartered Nói Síríus includes the recipe for Lakkrístoppar on the Icelandic chocolate and confectionary manufacturer's packets of Lakkrískurl ("Licorice Curls"): Nói Síríus, via Facebook Nov. 18, 2011, @ https://www.facebook.com/noisirius/posts/10150411325432485

For further information:

Björgúlfsdóttir, Helga Dís. "Licorice in Iceland -- A Love Story." Your Friend In Reykjavik. Oct. 5, 2022. Available via @ https://yourfriendinreykjavik.com/licorice-in-iceland-a-love-story/

DV Editorial. "Kólus rekið með tugmilljóna gróða -- Sælgætisgerðin skilar hagnaði ár eftir ár -- Framkvæmdastjórinn 83 ára." (Translation: "Kolus operated with tens of millions in profits. -- The confectionary business returns a profit year after year -- The CEO is 83 years old."). DV. Sunday, Sep. 18, 2016.
Available in Icelandic via DV @ https://www.dv.is/frettir/2016/09/18/kolus-rekid-med-tugmilljona-groda/
Available in English translation via DV @ https://www-dv-is.translate.goog/frettir/2016/09/18/kolus-rekid-med-tugmilljona-groda/?_x_tr_sl=is&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

Eldar, Albert. "Lakkrístoppar -- hinar sívinsælu smákökur." (Translation: "Licorice tops -- the ever popular cookies"). Albert Eldar. Dec. 10, 2020.
Available via Albert Eldar @ https://alberteldar.is/2020/12/10/lakkristoppar/

Giggles (Rhonda Adkins). "Icelandic Lakkrís Toppar." The Kitchen Witch > Recipes > Desserts. Jan. 1, 2017.
Available via The Kitchen Witch @ https://www.thekitchenwitchblog.com/2017/01/01/icelandic-lakkris-toppar/

Góa. "UPPSKRIFT: ÓMÓTSTÆÐILEGIR (APPELSÍNU)LAKKRÍSTOPPAR -- svo einfaldir að allir geta bakað. Varúð: Það er mjög erfitt að hætta að maula þegar maður hefur smakkað fyrsta bitann! --- HRÁEFNIÐ: 3 eggjahvítur 200 gr. púðursykur 150 gr. Lindu appelsínurjómasúkkulaði 2 pokar Appolo lakkrískurl AÐFERÐIN: Stífþeytið eggjahvíturnar og púðursykurinn, það ætti að taka um það bil 15 mínútur. Saxið súkkulaðið smátt og blandið því ásamt lakkrískurlinu saman við stífþeyttu eggjahvíturnar og hrærið saman með sleif (ekki hrærivél). Setjið á bökunarpappír með skeið en þessi uppskrift ætti að duga á tvær meðalstórar bökunarplötur. Bakið við 150 gráðu hita í 15 mínútur. Athugið að bakarofnar eru eins misjafnir og þeir eru margir og því skyldi maður alltaf fylgjast vel með bakstrinum. --- Látið okkur endilega vita hvernig tekst til. Ætlarðu ekki alveg örugglega að prófa?" Facebook. Nov. 24, 2016.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/goa.is/posts/1227898107256733:0/

Gunnarsdóttir, Lilja Katrín. "Yfir 100 tilraunir til að endurgera bláan Opal: 'Þetta hefur verið barátta' -- 'Laundrykkjumenn lagstir í Opal?'" Matur. Dec. 10, 2018.
Available via Matur @ https://www.dv.is/matur/2018/12/10/yfir-100-tilraunir-til-ad-endurgera-blaan-opal-thetta-hefur-verid-baratta-laundrykkjumenn-lagstir-opal/

Hovdenak Distillery. "Jón Sigurður Kjartansson, the "Willy Wonka of Icelandic chocolate and licorice," began his legacy in 1962 by creating many of Iceland's most beloved chocolates, licorice, and sweets. Sixty-two years later, at the age of 85, he still ensures that the factory runs smoothly. In 1990, the chocolate bar Þristur hit the Icelandic market and quickly became a favorite, capturing the hearts of the island's residents. In 2020, we humbly knocked on Sambó's door in Árbær, Reykjavík with an idea. We wanted to transform the iconic Icelandic chocolate bar into a liqueur. We sincerely hope that we at Hovdenak Distillery did it justice. At least, we believe we did. Coming Soon!" Facebook. June 28, 2024.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/hovdenakdistillery/posts/1000329222100039/
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1000329222100039&set=a.453576763441957

Iceland Food Centre. "Does this ever happen to you!?." Facebook. Dec. 9, 2020.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/IcelandFoodCentre/videos/icelandic-meringue-christmas-cookies/209400290672985/

Iceland Food Centre. "Icelandic Christmas Meringue Cookies / Lakkrístoppar -- ICELAND FOOD CENTRE #15." YouTube. Dec. 9, 2020.
Available via YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrAe2TrwrPU

Iceland Food Centre. "Lakkrístoppar -- Icelandic Christmas Meringue Cookies." Iceland Food Centre > Recipes.
Available @ https://www.icelandfoodcentre.com/lakkristoppar-icelandic-meringue-cookies/

Iceland Unwrapped By Helgastina -- Travel Planner. "To learn a language we at Iceland Unwrapped recommend learning Icelandic through recipe. Especially Christmas cookie recopies. We don´t know of almost any home that doesn´t do those for the holiday season. Everything with licorice is eaten in Iceland so please join us in baking Lakkrís toppar. Here is a recipe in Icelandic by my friend Albert https://alberteldar.is/2020/12/10/lakkristoppar/ and here is one in English https://www.icelandfoodcentre.com/lakkristoppar.../ Enjoy and look further on these pages for other great options for food and baking." Facebook.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1154039823198404&id=100057771923047

Ljúfmeti og lekkerheit. "Þetta eru uppáhalds lakkrístopparnir okkar. Ég veit ekki hvað ég hef bakað þá oft, en veit að ég þarf að baka þá aftur fyrir jólin því kökuboxið er enn og aftur tómt! http://ljufmeti.com/.../21/lakkristoppar-med-karamellukurli/." Facebook. Dec. 21, 2015.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/ljufmeti/posts/1115776871766751/
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/ljufmeti/photos/a.493711307306647/1115776871766751/

Nói Síríus. "Lakkrískurl." Facebook. Nov. 18, 2011.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/noisirius/posts/10150411325432485
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150411325432485&id=173312492484&set=a.175428207484

Nói Sírius. "Sagan." (Translation: "Our History").
Available via Nói Sírius @ https://www.noi.is/fyrirtaekid/sagan/
Available in English translation via Nói Sírius @ https://www.noi.is/en/about-noi-sirius/our-history/

Rebecka Helen-Wilson. "I LOVE licorice and in Iceland I found out that they bake a Christmas Meringue Cookie that contains licorice -- Lakkrístoppar. Sounds delicious if you ask me. [Lakkrístoppar - Icelandic Christmas Meringue Cookies - Iceland Food Centre](https://www.icelandfoodcentre.com/lakkristoppar.../)." Facebook. Dec. 22, 2020.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/3220021954712162/posts/3611776402203380/

SÍM Samband Íslenskra Myndlistarmanna. "Atli Már Árnason." ARKIVA.IS > Listamannatal (Database of Icelandic Artists).
Available in Icelandic via ARKIV.IS @ https://www.arkiv.is/artist/410
Available in English translation via ARKIV.IS @ https://www-arkiv-is.translate.goog/artist/410?_x_tr_sl=is&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

Svava (Svava Gunnarsdóttir). "Lakkrístoppar með karamellukurli." Ljúfmeti og lekkerheit > Uppskriftir ("Recipes") > Smákökur og sætmeti ("Cookies and sweets"). Dec. 21, 2015.
Available via Ljúfmeti og lekkerheit @ https://ljufmeti.com/2015/12/21/lakkristoppar-med-karamellukurli/

Tómas, Arnar. "Icelandic Candy & Chocolate -- A Short and Sweet Overview." Guide to Iceland.
Available @ https://guidetoiceland.is/best-of-iceland/icelandic-candy-a-short-and-sweet-overview

Your Friend in Reykjavik. "Licorice Tops -- Meringue cookies with Licorice (Lakkrístoppar)." Facebook. Dec. 23, 2021.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/yourfriendinreykjavik/posts/licorice-tops-meringue-cookies-with-licorice-lakkr%C3%ADstopparhave-you-ever-tried-th/1848567251995226/