Recipes Using Cinnamon

Carrot salad
with yoghurt and cinnamon

INGREDIENTS

  • 1kg/2lb 4oz long, thin baby carrots, unpeeled but scrubbed and stalk trimmed to about 3cm/1¼in
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1½ tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • pinch ground cinnamon**
  • 125g/4½oz Greek-style yoghurt
  • 60g/2¼oz crème fraîche
  • 1 tsp roughly chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

  1. Place the carrots in a steamer and steam for 8–12 minutes, or until cooked through but still retaining a bite.
  2. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, cinnamon, pinch of salt and lots of pepper in a large bowl. Add the carrots to the bowl and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
  3. Mix together the yoghurt and crème fraîche in a bowl with pinch of salt. Add this to the carrots along with the fresh herbs. Stir through gently – you don’t want to overmix. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

RECIPE TIPS

Use a pestal & Mortar to grind down a quill to make a smooth powder

Vegan cinnamon
buns

INGREDIENTS

For the cinnamon bun dough

  • 475g/1lb 1oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 25g/1oz cornflour
  • 7g sachet fast action yeast
  • 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 300–325ml/10–11fl oz soya milk (or almond milk)
  • 75g/2½oz dairy-free margarine

For the caramel sauce

  • 75g/2½oz dairy-free margarine
  • 3 tbsp golden syrup
  • 3 tbsp soft light brown sugar
  • pinch of salt

For the cinnamon filling

  • 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 50g/1¾oz pecans, toasted and chopped
  • 200g/7oz spiced apple butter, apple purée or puréed medjool dates

METHOD

  1. Line a 20–21cm/8in square baking tin with a sheet of baking parchment so that it covers the base and comes up the sides of the tin.
  2. Tip the strong flour and cornflour into a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a free-standing mixer fitted with a dough hook). Add the yeast, caster sugar, cardamom and salt and mix to combine.
  3. Warm the milk either in a small pan, or in the microwave until lukewarm and add to the dry ingredients along with the dairy-free margarine. Mix well to combine, then tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and then knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is silky smooth and elastic. (If using the free-standing mixer simply knead the dough in the bowl using the dough hook.)
  4. Shape the dough into a ball. Return to the bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm, draught-free place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  5. Meanwhile prepare the caramel sauce and apple cinnamon filling. In a small pan, melt together the dairy-free spread, golden syrup and soft light brown sugar. Add a pinch of salt, bubble for 10 seconds and then pour into the prepared tin.
  6. To make the cinnamon filling, mix together the soft light brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans in a small bowl. Set aside.
  7. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, tip the dough out of the bowl and knead for 30 seconds to knock back any air pockets. Slowly roll the dough into a large, neat rectangle about 50 x 30 cm/20 x 12in and with one of the longer sides nearest to you. Carefully spread the apple butter (or puréed medjool dates) evenly to cover the dough. Scatter with the cinnamon sugar and chopped pecans.
  8. Starting with the side nearest to you roll the dough into a neat, long spiral log. Trim the ends to neaten and then cut the log into 9 even-sized slices and place them cut side uppermost in the prepared tin. Cover loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until the buns are well risen and springy to the touch.
  9. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
  10. Remove the cling film and bake the buns on the middle shelf for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

RECIPE TIPS

To make date butter, put 200g/7oz dates in a heatproof bowl and slowly add 6tbsp boiling water. Mash the dates using a fork to make a creamy paste. Alternatively, you can blend them in a food processor.

Meatballs in tomato sauce with cinnamon
and cumin (Soutzoukakia)

INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs

  • 500g/1lb 2oz beef mince
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 free-range egg, beaten
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 2 slices stale white bread (about 100g/3½oz), soaked in red wine, squeezed dry and torn into small pieces
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 12 turns black peppermill
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

For the tomato sauce

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 5cm/2in cinnamon stick
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 150ml/5fl oz red wine
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 500ml/18fl oz passata
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 12 turns black peppermill

To serve

  • cooked rice
  • 12 green olives

METHOD

  1. To make the meatballs, put all the ingredients, except the olive oil, in a large bowl and mix. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 20 to 24 rugby-ball shapes.
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the meatballs until golden-brown on all sides, or grill on a griddle pan if you like grill lines on the patties.
  3. To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a lidded saucepan over medium heat. Sweat the onion and garlic with the cinnamon stick, cumin and sugar until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the red wine and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato purée, passata, salt and pepper and cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
  4. Add the meatballs and simmer for 20–30 minutes covered until cooked through, adding a little water if the sauce is too thick. Serve with rice and green olives.

Greek
apricots

INGREDIENTS

  • 250ml/8¾fl oz cold water
  • 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • small pinch saffron strands
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 12 apricots, halved
  • 150g/5¼oz tub Greek yoghurt
  • 50g/1¾oz pistachios, crushed

METHOD

  1. Put the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, saffron and honey into a pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Simmer gently for five minutes before adding the apricots. Simmer for a further five minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick.
  3. Serve the apricots warm on a bed of yogurt, and drizzle over the syrup.

Overnight oats
with apple and nuts

INGREDIENTS

  • 50g/1¾oz porridge oats
  • 2 apples, coarsely grated
  • 20g/¾oz blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 200g/7oz 0% fat Greek yoghurt
  • 100ml/3½fl oz skimmed milk
  • 100g/3½oz blueberries
  • 10g/¼oz flaked almonds, toasted

METHOD

  1. In a bowl mix the oats, apples, hazelnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in the yoghurt and milk, then cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
  2. Spoon into two bowls and top with the blueberries and almonds.

Indian
chicken stew

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 boneless chicken breast, cut into four pieces, dusted with little flour, salt, freshly ground black pepper and
  • ground cinnamon
  • 2 star anise
  • 2.5cm/1in cinnamon stick
  • 2-3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 4 cloves
  • 4-6 black peppercorns
  • 1 blade mace
  • 1 green chilli, slit open
  • 20g/¾oz fresh ginger, peeled, sliced into matchsticks
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
  • 8-10 fresh curry leaves
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 400ml/14fl oz coconut milk
  • 10-12 baby plum or cherry tomatoes

To serve

  • steamed rice
  • chopped celery leaves
  • shiso cress (or punnet cress if unavailable)

METHOD

  1. Heat one tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large pan over a low heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken breast pieces and fry gently, but do not allow to colour. When the chicken pieces are almost cooked through, remove from the pan and set aside until required.
  2. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of vegetable oil and add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns and mace. Fry until the spices start to crackle, then add the chilli, ginger, onions and curry leaves.
    Fry the spices and onions for 4-5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
  3. Add the turmeric, coriander, black pepper and cinnamon powder and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes.
    Add the coconut milk and heat to a gentle simmer.
  4. Add the cooked chicken pieces and the tomatoes and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through (no pink should remain when the chicken is cut into).
  5. To serve, place a spoonful of steamed rice onto each plate and then place a spoonful of the chicken stew alongside. Garnish with celery and shisho cress.

Chicken leg tagine with prunes,
apricots and roasted almonds

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • few sprigs fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • ½ bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ lemon, juice only
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 5 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 10 chicken legs, skinned, rinsed under cold running water and patted dry
  • pinch saffron
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • 150g/5½oz dried prunes
  • 6 tbsp sugar
  • 150g/5½oz dried apricots
  • 100g/3½oz almonds, blanched, skinned and toasted

METHOD

  1. In a large bowl, mix half of the onion, half of the garlic, half of the coriander and half of the parsley. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of the ginger, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and the turmeric and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub the chicken legs with the mixture to coat.
  2. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to marinade for 2–3 hours, or, for best results, overnight in the fridge.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the chicken on both sides until slightly brown and set aside.
  5. Put the remaining olive oil, onion, garlic and 1 teaspoon of ginger into a tagine or into an ovenproof pot with a lid. Stir the mixture and place the chicken on top.
  6. Heat the saffron in a dry pan and sprinkle it over the chicken. Sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper and 2 teaspoon cinnamon over the chicken and add a splash of water. Crumble the stock cube into the water and sprinkle with the remaining fresh parsley and coriander.
  7. Bake in the oven with the lid on for about 1 hour, or until tender.
  8. In a saucepan, cover the dried prunes with water and bring to the boil. Add half of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Turn down the heat and let the prunes simmer until caramelised.
  9. In another saucepan, cover the apricots with water and bring to the boil. Add the rest of the sugar and the rest of the cinnamon. Turn down the heat and let the apricots simmer until caramelised.
  10. Check the tagine regularly, making sure that the sauce doesn’t dry.
  11. To serve, garnish the tagine with the caramelised prunes and apricots and the toasted almonds.

Bread and butter
pudding

INGREDIENTS

  • 25g/1oz butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 8 thin slices bread
  • 50g/2oz sultanas
  • 2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 350ml/12fl oz whole milk
  • 50ml/2fl oz double cream
  • 2 free-range eggs
  • 25g/1oz granulated sugar
  • nutmeg, grated, to taste

METHOD

  1. Grease a 1 litre/2-pint pie dish with butter.
  2. Cut the crusts off the bread. Spread each slice with on one side with butter, then cut into triangles.
  3. Arrange a layer of bread, buttered side up, in the bottom of the dish, then add a layer of sultanas. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon, then repeat the layers of bread and sultanas, sprinkling with cinnamon, until you have used up all of the bread. Finish with a layer of bread, then set aside.
  4. Gently warm the milk and cream in a pan over a low heat to scalding point. Don’t let it boil.
  5. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add three quarters of the sugar and lightly whisk until pale.
  6. Add the warm milk and cream mixture and stir well, then strain the custard into a bowl.
  7. Pour the custard over the prepared bread layers and sprinkle with nutmeg and the remaining sugar and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
  8. Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4.
  9. Place the dish into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the custard has set and the top is golden-brown.

Quick veggie
korma

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 medium onions
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • a thick slice of butter
  • a thumb-sized piece of ginger
  • 10 green cardamom pods
  • a tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • a couple of pinches of ground cinnamon
  • a cinnamon stick
  • a good pinch of ground chilli
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 650g/1lb 7oz assorted mushrooms
  • 250g/9oz spinach
  • handful skinned hazelnuts
  • a generous handful of raisins or golden sultanas
  • 200g/7oz plain yoghurt
  • 150g/5oz crème fraîche
  • rice or bread, to serve

METHOD

  1. Peel and slice the onions and garlic. Melt most of the thick slice of butter in a deep-sided pan, reserving a little. Peel and grate the ginger and add to the pan with the onions and garlic.
  2. Break open the cardamom pods, discard the green shells and lightly crush the black seeds within. A pestle and mortar is good for this but any heavy weight will do. Add the crushed seeds to the pan with the cumin, turmeric, ground cinnamon, cinnamon stick, chilli and the bay leaves.
  3. Cut the mushrooms into large pieces and add to the pan together with the remaining butter (you will find the mushrooms tend to soak it up). Let the mushrooms cook for a couple of minutes, then stir and cover with a lid.
  4. When the mushrooms have softened and darkened a little, add 200ml/7fl oz water. Stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, wash the spinach carefully. Cook briefly in a separate pan until the leaves have wilted but are still bright, about a minute or two. Remove the spinach and cool under running water to keep the colour bright then squeeze dry and add to the pan with the mushrooms.
  6. Stir in the skinned hazelnuts and the raisins or sultanas. Gently stir in the yoghurt and crème fraîche. Warm through gently and serve, with rice or bread if you wish.

Moroccan-style chicken
with couscous and yoghurt

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 275ml/10fl oz chicken stock
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • handful dried apricots or prunes (or both), chopped
  • 2 tbsp clear honey
  • bunch fresh coriander, chopped
  • couscous, to serve
  • natural yoghurt, optional, to serve

METHOD

  1. Put the onion, garlic and chicken stock into a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and boil for 5 minutes, or until reduced in volume by half.
  2. Add the chicken, tomatoes, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and dried apricots or prunes. Return the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
  3. Make the couscous according to the packet instructions.
  4. Just before serving, stir the honey and coriander into the chicken and cook for a further five minutes. Serve with couscous and yoghurt.

German
apple cake

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and sliced into thin wedges
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 125g/4½oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 140g/5oz golden caster sugar
  • 3 free-range eggs, at room temperature, beaten
  • 225g/8oz plain flour
  • 2 level tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 5 tbsp full fat milk

For the topping

  • 1½ tbsp demerara sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Butter and line a 23cm/9in round cake tin.
  2. Coat the apple wedges in the lemon juice and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar, using an electric hand mixer, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix well. Slowly add the milk, mixing well after each addition, until you have a smooth batter.
  4. Transfer the batter to the cake tin. Arrange the apple slices, flat side down, on the batter in a spiral pattern.
  5. For the topping, mix together the demerara sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter.
  6. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40–45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean and the top is golden-brown. Leave to cool for 15 minutes in the tin. Run a knife around the edges of the cake and turn it out of the tin onto a wire rack.
  7. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

Roast pork belly
with apple bread sauce and rib gravy

INGREDIENTS

For the roast pork belly

  • 1.8kg/4lb pork belly
  • 4 tbsp sea salt flakes

For the rib gravy

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 large pork ribs
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 litre/1¾ pints chicken stock
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme

For the apple bread sauce

  • 1 litre/1¾ pints milk
  • ½ onion, skin left on
  • 5 cloves
  • 2 eating apples, preferably Cox’s Orange Pippin
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 250g/9oz fresh breadcrumbs
  • 75g/2¾oz butter
  • 3 tsp ground cinnamon

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 230C/210C fan/Gas 8.
  2. For the roast pork belly, put the pork belly in a roasting tray, skin-side up. Thoroughly pat it dry with kitchen paper, then rub sea salt all over the skin. Set aside for 20 minutes.
  3. Roast the pork belly for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 160C/140C fan/Gas 3 and continue to cook for a further 1½ hours. When cooked, set the pork aside to rest in a warm place.
  4. Meanwhile, for the rib gravy, heat the oil in large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the pork ribs and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning them regularly until they have caramelised all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  5. Add the onions and carrots to the pan, then pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, scraping any burned bits up from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon.
  6. Return the browned pork ribs to the pan, then add the peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, then continue to simmer gently for 1½ hours.
  7. Meanwhile, for the apple bread sauce, heat the milk in a large saucepan. Stud the onion with 3 of the cloves and add to the hot milk. Stud one of the apples with the remaining 2 cloves and add to the pan along with the cinnamon stick. As the milk starts to bubble, turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes. Once infused, discard the apple, onion, cloves and cinnamon stick.
  8. Add the breadcrumbs and butter to the infused milk, stir well and heat gently. Just before serving, grate in the remaining apple and stir in the ground cinnamon.
  9. When the cooking time for the pork ribs has elapsed, remove the ribs and slide the meat from the bone. Chop the meat and return it to the gravy mixture.
  10. To serve, carve the pork belly and arrange the slices onto a serving platter. Serve the rib gravy in a large jug alongside and the apple bread sauce in a large serving bowl. Allow everyone to help themselves.

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