So how does such a spice have so much power? Many of cinnamon’s fantastic properties come from one substance called cinnamaldehyde, which is naturally present in cinnamon. This wonder ingredient makes it naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, making it a great addition to your diet. But that’s not all, cinnamon’s high concentration of antioxidants can help protect body from damage from free radicals and reduce inflammation, reducing risk of cancer and other diseases.
Cinnamon is from a tropical evergreen tree and grows up to seven metres in the wild. It has deeply veined leaves that are dark green on top and lighter green underneath. The bark is smooth and yellowish. Both the bark and leaves are aromatic. It has small yellowish white flowers that bear dark purple berries. It prefers hot, wet tropical climate at low altitude. Plantations grow trees in tall bushes no taller than 3 metres as the stems are continually cut back to produce new stems for bark. The outer bark, cork and the pithy inner linings are scraped off and the remaining bark is lift to dry completely, when it curls and rolls into quills. Several are rolled together to produce a compact final product which is then cut into uniform lengths and graded according to thickness, aroma and appearance.
The combination of cinnamaldehyde, antioxidants and cinnamon’s high fibre content are some of the characteristics that lend its incredible positive effects on human body. To include this wonder spice to your diet, you can add half a tea spoon of cinnamon powder to your coffee, or sprinkle some on your fruit platter. It also tastes great with baked dishes, like baked potato, roasts, oatmeals, cold beverages and tea. Cinnamon is a versatile spice and can be combined with cardamom and ginger as well.
Cinnamon is a common choice for desserts due to its delicate taste. It is commonly used in cakes and other baked food items like rice puddings, chocolate, milk and fruit dishes. Cinnamon compliments apples and pears really well. It is also used in Middle Eastern cooking in dishes like lamb tagine, stews and eggplant. In Indian cuisine, cinnamon is an indispensable ingredient in Garam Masala and several other spice blends. The largest importer of Sri Lankan cinnamon is Mexico, where it is consumed with coffee and chocolate and brewed along with tea.
Like with every spice, it is important to store it properly to use it later. The whole quills will keep their flavour indefinitely. Many recipes prefer the powdered variety, which loses flavour quickly so always purchase it in small quantity and keep away from light in air tight containers.
Berrylicious
Cinnamon Rolls
For the dough
Flour all purpose 3 cups
Unsalted butter 3 tbsp
Yeast 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Castor sugar 2 tbsp
Egg 1 no
Filling
Unsalted butter 1/2 cup
Brown sugar 1 cup
Cinnamon ground 2 tbsp
Blueberry 1/2 cup
Glaze
Cream cheese 120 gm
Unsalted butter 1/4 cup
Powdered sugar 1 cup
Vanilla extracts 1/2 tsp
Milk 2 tbsp
Method
In a mixing bowl combine warm milk, yeast, sugar, salt, butter and eggs; sift the flour in the mixture and mix over low speed.
Once the flour starts to incorporate into the dough, increase the speed to a medium range and add more flour as necessary so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
The dough needs to be soft but not sticky; transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with damp towel and leave aside for 1 hour or until the dough rises to double the size.
Lightly grease a baking sheet and punch down the dough and roll into a 12 inch by 18 inch rectangle.
Brush the dough with 1/2 cup melted butter. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
Sprinkle on top of the melted butter. Add chopped blueberry and roll up tightly lengthwise so you have one long roll; use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 one-inch slices.
Arrange the slices onto a lightly greased baking pan and cover with moist cloth and let it rise 30 to 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the rolls for about 14 minutes until just kissed with brown on top.
While cinnamon rolls are baking, make the cream cheese glaze by using a hand mixer to whip together cream cheese and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Whip in powdered sugar and vanilla extract add enough milk to achieve a drizzle like consistency.
Frost the rolls while still warm. Serve immediately or cool and store in air tight container. Stays good for 4-5 days.
Note: Making a dough is an art which one will master with practice. Also if the rolls look uncooked – increase the baking time to 18-20 minutes. Baking time varies slightly with different ovens. Also you can change the berries depending on your choice.
* Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind, USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]
