Sticks for taste and tone: where do you usually add cinnamon?

Spicy bark from Asia goes well not only with baked goods, but also with meat, fish, soups, and tonic drinks. In this article you will find interesting recipes and recommendations for using cinnamon sticks in cooking.

Using cinnamon sticks in drinks

Cinnamon sticks have a sweetish taste, so they are often added to tea and coffee as a sugar substitute. The spice leaves behind a spicy trail that gives a feeling of warmth and whets the appetite. It gives tonic and fat-burning properties to any drink.

What kind of cinnamon is added to coffee?

You can add sticks or ground seasoning to your coffee. However, the first option is preferable, since the spice in powder form leaves behind a cloudy sediment.

The choice of product should be approached responsibly. In markets and stores, instead of real Ceylon cinnamon, they often sell cassia bark (Chinese cinnamon). The latter contains coumarin. In large quantities, this substance is dangerous to health: it reduces blood clotting and increases the risk of internal bleeding.A table containing 7 main signs will help you distinguish cinnamon from cassia.

Table 1. Cinnamon or cassia?

How many sticks should I add to my coffee?

Typically, it is customary to add 0.3 cinnamon sticks (or 2-3 cm) to a cup of coffee. But you can increase this amount if you want a more pronounced spicy taste.

A classic recipe will help you prepare a tonic drink correctly.

Prepare the following ingredients:

• ground coffee – 2 teaspoons;
• cinnamon – 1/3 stick;
• water – 200 ml;
• sugar – 0.5 tsp.

Pour all the ingredients into the bottom of the Turk. Fill with water and place on low heat. Bring to a boil. Turn off the stove and let the drink brew for 10–15 minutes. Then bring to a boil again. Pour the coffee into a cup.

How many sticks should I add to tea?

To make tea, you usually use 1 cinnamon stick per 0.5 liter of water. The cinnamon in the drink goes well with other spices, especially cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and citrus zest. Spicy tea is drunk to cheer up, speed up metabolism, remove toxins from the body, and cure viral and bacterial infections.

To prepare the drink, follow these steps:

1. Pour 0.5 liters of hot water over the cinnamon stick and let it brew for half an hour.
2. Pour any tea (black, green or herbal) into the teapot.
3. Pour the cinnamon infusion into a saucepan. Place on the stove and bring to a boil.
4. Pour cinnamon infusion over tea. Brew for 10 minutes.

You can add honey and a slice of lemon to the drink that has cooled to 50–60 degrees. Then the tea will be more tasty and healthy.

Is spice added to compote?

Yes. You can find many recipes for compote with cinnamon on the Internet. The spice goes especially well with apples, pears, and cherries. Cinnamon sticks give the drink a more noble taste.

Try making compote using the following recipe:

1. Take 0.5 kg of sweet apples, peel and cut into slices.
2. Place the fruit in a saucepan and add 2 liters of water. Add 60 gr. sugar, add 1-2 sticks of cinnamon and cloves.
3. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook for another 30-40 minutes.

If you are on a diet, you may not add sugar to the drink. The compote will still taste sweet.

How to make mulled wine from regular wine?

A cinnamon stick will help you make warming mulled wine from any red wine. The alcoholic drink will turn out no worse than from the store.

You need to put the following ingredients on the bottom of the Turk:

• cinnamon stick;
• 5 sprigs of cloves;
• one pinch each of vanilla, ginger and nutmeg;
• 1 teaspoon of grated orange zest.

Fill them with 100 ml of water, put on low heat and bring to a boil. Then let it sit for 10 minutes.

Pour a bottle of wine into a saucepan, add a decoction of spices. Start heating on the stove. Just before boiling, turn off the heat and pour the mulled wine into cups.

Using cinnamon sticks in dishes

The sticks are used with pork, chicken, and turkey. The product is also used to flavor sauces, marinades, soups, and baked goods. However, the spice is absolutely incompatible with borscht, cabbage, lamb, and beef. If you want to experiment and make some really fancy cinnamon dishes, try the recipes listed below.

Hearty dishes with cinnamon - recipes

Delight family members or guests with the first and second courses. Cooking will not take much of your time and effort.

• Pumpkin cream soup

Take 0.5 kg of pumpkin, one carrot, 2 potatoes, and an onion. Cut into small pieces, place in a saucepan and add 1.5 liters of water. Add a cinnamon stick. Cook for 40 minutes. Then drain the water, remove the stick, and blend the vegetables in a blender.

Transfer the resulting puree into a saucepan. Salt, pour in 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil and a little milk. Place on the stove and bring to a boil. Pour the cream soup into a blender and blend. When serving, garnish the dish with apple cubes sprinkled with ground cinnamon.

• Oven-roasted pork

Take 1 kg of pork. Cut into pieces 1 cm thick, beat lightly. Lubricate them with vegetable oil and mustard, salt and pepper. Peel the garlic cloves and chop finely. Place one cinnamon stick in a bag and crush with a meat hammer. Mix the spice with garlic and sprinkle over the pork.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pieces of meat. Bake them at 220 degrees for half an hour.

How to use cinnamon sticks in baking?

Ground cinnamon is usually added to baked goods. However, you can buy sticks at the store and grind them yourself.You'll be surprised how much your favorite pies will taste better.

Cut the sticks into small pieces. Place in a bag and beat with a meat mallet. Then pass through a coffee grinder. High-quality cinnamon will easily turn into powder.

But you shouldn’t grind cassia in this way. Due to its hard structure, it may break your grinder.

Ground cinnamon is added to the dough to taste. Usually 1-2 teaspoons are enough for a large pie. And cinnamon sticks can be used for decoration.

Why do you drink honey and cinnamon?

A drink made from honey and cinnamon is an affordable medicine for many. It has the following beneficial properties:

• increases immunity;
• normalizes digestion;
• strengthens the walls of blood vessels and reduces cholesterol levels;
• slows down the aging process;
• improves memory and mental abilities, helps to concentrate;
• reduces the risk of contracting ARVI and influenza, relieves cold symptoms and speeds up recovery.

To prepare the drink, pour 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into a glass of boiling water and let it brew for half an hour. Then add 1-2 teaspoons of honey. You should drink this tea 2 times a day: in the morning before breakfast and in the evening before bed.

Why do you drink kefir with cinnamon?

Kefir with cinnamon speeds up metabolism and helps you lose weight. Nutritionists recommend replacing a hearty dinner with this cocktail.

The fermented milk drink heals the intestinal microflora and stimulates the production of digestive enzymes, and the spice accelerates fat burning and removes toxins from the body. For 1 glass of kefir, one pinch of ground cinnamon is enough.

If you buy cinnamon sticks, they will definitely not go to waste. The spice will improve the taste of your favorite dishes and drinks, lift your mood, help you lose weight and cheer up. But try to find real cinnamon on sale, not cassia. Then you won't have to worry about your health.