How to use cinnamon in recipes
Many spicy recipes achieve their balanced flavour thanks to the addition of cinnamon. A good example is this Moroccan-inspired dish, which combines cinnamon with turmeric, coriander and harissa. It is a good way to learn how to use cinnamon in savoury cooking.
Nevertheless, cinnamon is probably more used in Irish kitchens for baked recipes, such as cakes made for special occasions like Mother’s Day, for example. This tasty pear cake recipe makes great use of ground cinnamon, and it is very easy so anyone can pull it off — even if they’ve never attempted a homemade cake with or without spicy flavours before.
Beyond these examples of dinner recipes you can follow to gain confidence in handling cinnamon, there are some general tips that are worth knowing:
- When a recipe calls for ground cinnamon, but you only have cinnamon sticks, you can break them up by hand and then grind the right amount using a pestle and mortar. Another method is to use a coffee grinder or a food blender to do the job. Only grind as much cinnamon as you need, though, because the spice retains more flavour before it is ground.
- If you have ground cinnamon stored in a spice rack or cupboard, then bear in mind that it will gradually lose its flavour over time. Don’t worry, though, because you can still use it. Just up the quantity a little if its depth of flavour has started to fade.
- When adding cinnamon to a drink, add less than you think you will need. This way, you can always put some more in to boost the flavour without having to start over because you put too much in. Finally, adding a cinnamon stick to a stew or curry dish is a good way to get its flavour into the sauce, but remember to remove it before serving.
