Boas Comidas

Glossário Culinário

Cinnamon

Ingrediente

Origem
from Sinhalese, native to Sri Lanka
Também chamado de
cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon

Cinnamon is the spice obtained from the inner bark of trees of the genus Cinnamomum, sold as sticks or ground, with a warm, sweet and woody perfume. It is a fixture in cakes, June-festival sweets, teas and roasts, pairing with both fruits and meats and grains.

Characteristics

The most common forms are:

  • Cinnamon sticks: rolled bark quills, ideal for infusions, syrups, quentão and teas.
  • Ground cinnamon: practical for cakes, cookies, sweet farofas and dusting desserts.
  • Ceylon cinnamon: thinner and more delicate, considered the true cinnamon.
  • Cassia: thicker and stronger, the most common in Brazilian stores.

Ground cinnamon loses its aroma faster than sticks; that is why freshly ground spices or small quantities bought at a time have superior perfume.

Uses in the kitchen

Cinnamon is inseparable from apple pie and apple cake, dusted french toast, rice pudding, canjica, curau and quentão. Sprinkled over baked banana, porridge, hot chocolate and cappuccino, it transforms simple preparations. In savory cooking, it appears sparingly in pork and lamb marinades, in full-bodied tomato sauces, in curry and in savory granolas with spices.

Substitutions

Without cinnamon, combinations of nutmeg with cloves, allspice (Jamaica pepper) or cake spice mix come close to the warm, sweet profile. In infusions, sticks can be swapped for ground in a sachet or strained afterwards, adjusting the dose so it does not cloud too much. In apple and banana sweets, vanilla with lemon zest offers another pleasant aromatic path.

Fun facts

Cinnamon was once one of the most valuable spices of ancient trade, fought over along the Eastern routes. In practical cooking, quickly toast the stick in a dry skillet before infusing to release more aroma. Store in a closed jar, away from the stove’s heat, and use sparingly: in excess, it turns bitter and dominates the other flavors of the dish.

Recipes with cinnamon

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