Cinnamon Sensations

Four recipes from the four corners of the earth that are sure to spice up your kitchen.

Cinnamon has been used in cooking since it was first imported to Egypt around 2000 CE. Today, countries from across the globe have adopted the spice and integrated it into cooking, baking, and beverage-making. Craving a rich and hearty roast, a frothy new drink, or something to satisfy your sweet tooth? Keep reading. Whoever and wherever you are, there’s a recipe here for you.

Barbacoa

Mexican Slow-Cooked Beef

Ingredients

Beef

• 3 to 4 lb beef chuck roast
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ sweet onion, finely chopped
• 3 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
• 2 6-oz cans of diced chiles
• 2 limes juiced (or about ¼ c. lime juice)
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp cumin
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cloves
• ½ c. beef broth (or water)

Garnish

• fresh cilantro
• chopped onion

Directions

1. Place the beef in the slow cooker along with the onion, bay leaves, and garlic.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the chipotle chilis, diced chilis, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt, cloves, and beef broth. Mix well.
3. Pour the chipotle chili mixture over the beef. Cover and cook in a slow cooker until the beef is tender and falls apart (around 6–8 hours on low or 3–4 hours on high).
4. Once the beef is done cooking, use two forks to separate the beef until shredded, then return it to the slow cooker. Briefly stir the beef to combine with the juices.
5. Turn off the slow cooker and cover it with a lid. Let the beef sit for 15 minutes to let the juices soak in.

6. Garnish the beef with fresh cilantro and chopped onion. Serve over rice for rice bowls or enjoy as a filling for tacos, quesadillas, or salads.

Mandazi

East African Doughnuts

Ingredients

• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 egg
• ¾ c. milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 c. vegetable oil for frying
• powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine cinnamon, sugar, and salt.
2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Pour wet ingredients into the large bowl with dry ingredients. With a spatula, mix until dough starts to become rough.
3. On a floured surface, knead dough for 8–10 minutes, until smooth. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 45 minutes, or until dough doubles in size.
4. Knead dough again for a few seconds. Divide dough into four equal pieces. One piece at a time, roll out dough into a ¼-inch-tall rectangular shape. Using a knife, cut spread dough into squares, then diagonally cut the squares to form triangles. Once all dough has been cut, cover and let rest for 15 more minutes.
5. Heat the oil in a deep pan. Oil is ready if a small piece of dough dropped inside sizzles to the top quickly. Drop a few pieces at a time into oil.
6. Allow one side to cook until it starts to brown. With a spoon, flip each piece regularly so that all sides are evenly cooked.
7. Once pieces are golden brown on both sides, take a slotted spoon and remove each piece, hovering the spoon over the pan for several seconds to allow excess oil to drain back into the pan. Place the cooked mandazi in a pot.
8. Repeat steps 6–7 until all dough is cooked. If desired, sprinkle powdered sugar over mandazi.

Kanelsnurrer

Norwegian Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 c. milk
• 2 tsp instant yeast (or 25 g fresh yeast)
• ½ c. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp freshly ground cardamom
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 c. flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 9 tbsp butter

Cinnamon Filling

• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 5 tbsp butter (room temperature)
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• Egg Wash
• 1 egg (whisked)
• pearl sugar (or demerara sugar)

Directions

1. If using a stand mixer, keep milk cold. If not, heat milk until lukewarm. Stir in yeast, sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon until dissolved.
2. Add the flour and salt and stir well in a mixer or by hand. Stir until dough releases from the bowl, then continue to knead (by hand or with the dough hook on the mixer) for 5–10 minutes.
3. Add butter to dough and continue to knead for another 5–10 minutes.
4. Roll out dough into a large square on a floured surface.
5. Mix together cinnamon, butter, and sugar for filling. Spread mixture out in an even layer, covering all dough.
6. Fold dough in half, then roll out rectangle again so it’s wider (not longer).
7. Use a pizza or pastry wheel to cut rectangle into about 16 strips. Twist each strip and then tie into a knot.
8. Place baking paper on a baking sheet. Place buns on sheet and cover with plastic wrap or a cloth. Let buns rise for about 2 hours, or until dough fully bounces back when poked with a finger.
9. Preheat convection oven to 390°F (200°C). Carefully brush buns with whisked egg and sprinkle with pearl (or demerara) sugar.
10. Bake buns in the middle of the oven for 12–15 minutes. Be careful not to overbake, as buns will become dry. Buns are done when golden on top and light brown under.

11. Cool on a wire rack.

Sujeonggwa

Korean Cinnamon Punch

Ingredients

Punch

• 70 g (2.5 oz) cinnamon sticks, rinsed
• ½ (3.5 oz) c. fresh ginger, skinned and thinly sliced
• 2 ½ c. sugar
• 5 qt water

Garnish

• pine nuts
• dried jujube
• dried persimmon

Directions

1. Place ginger in a medium saucepan. Add 2.5 qt water, close lid, then boil on medium heat for 40 minutes. At the same time, place cinnamon sticks into another medium saucepan. Add 2.5 qt water, close lid, then boil on medium heat for 40 minutes.
2. After 40 minutes, pull out a separate pot (large enough to hold the combined boiled water from step 1). Drain boiled ginger and cinnamon sticks in turn through a sieve and discard them.
3. Add sugar into the large pot and boil it 10–20 minutes on high heat (or until the sugar dissolves completely).
4. Cool down punch for a couple of hours before serving. (Alternatively, express cool it in a sink by placing the plug in and filling it with cold water and lots of ice cubes, letting the saucepan sit in it for approximately half an hour.)
5. When punch has cooled, serve and enjoy!