Why You Should Use Freshly Grated Cinnamon (and Cinnamon Coconut Ice Cream with Candied Cinnamon Cashews)

Fresh cinnamon spikes this coconut milk based ice cream that is sweetened with pure maple syrup and dotted with candied cinnamon cashews. This dairy-free (and egg-free) ice cream is incredibly delicious! And I made it using something special – recently harvested cinnamon.

This ice cream is beautiful on its own, but it also makes a great ice cream to serve with sliced fruit, cobblers, and pies. Think of serving this with apple pie, for example. Mouth watering.

As a side note, don’t make the mistake of enjoying cinnamon only in the deep winter, as it is a lovely addition to summer and spring as well. It pairs especially well with stone fruit such as peaches, so I topped fresh sliced peaches with this cinnamon ice cream and it was divine!

Homemade cinnamon ice cream with sliced fresh peaches and candied cashews. A great combination!

Why “Fresh” Cinnamon?

I had never heard of using cinnamon fresh before, and found the idea fascinating when one of our sponsors, Cinnamon Hill, approached me about trying their freshly harvested cinnamon out. Cinnamon is the inner bark of the cinnamon plant. Do you know that fresh, woodsy smell that cedar wood has when you are carving it? And do you also notice how cedar wood will lose that lovely scent over time?

In the same way, cinnamon, a bark, will lose much of its flavor and lovely scent when it is kept too long. When cinnamon is fresh you will smell its fragrance as you raise the cinnamon stick to your nose. When you use a special cinnamon grater, and freshly grate cinnamon you will be surprised at how much more flavorful it can be.

Store Bought Cinnamon Can Be Old

Unfortunately, a lot of cinnamon sticks in the store can be quite old. I think this is part of the reason we sometimes see recipes calling for large amounts of cinnamon. As cinnamon sits around in a store, or in a stocking room, time starts to degrade its flavor. Since it is a hardy bark, it certainly won’t degrade and go bad quickly – it will simply lose the freshness of its flavor.

I learned early on in my cooking journey that the quality of the ingredients themselves dictate how well the dish tastes. I will admit that previous to trying this cinnamon out, I mostly saw cinnamon as one of many spices to add to things (I would very rarely use it to flavor something on its own).

Now that I’ve tried really high quality cinnamon, I find myself using it all on its own for a variety of things. It’s even found its way into my sacred morning cup of coffee (coconut cream and freshly grated cinnamon – so good!).

Why Freshly Grate Cinnamon

I still remember years ago when I discovered how incredible fresh nutmeg was. Nutmeg, once a random spice I kept on hand for making gingerbread, transformed into something to savor all on its own. Unsurprisingly, when you treat cinnamon the same way by buying freshly harvested cinnamon, you also find yourself enjoying it all on its own.

Plus, when you buy pre-ground cinnamon, it’s already lost a portion of its flavor, and additives can be added to prevent it from caking. You know how cinnamon can have a slight bitter taste? That is a sign of old cinnamon.

We’ve all heard how whole grains are better enjoyed freshly ground because once ground they lose a significant portion of their nutrients over time, and that the high heat grinding destroys even more nutrients. With cinnamon, it’s the same way. Industrial cinnamon is ground using a high heat grinding mechanism (which degrades the quality and flavor) and then sits around for who knows how long until you buy it.

That said, fresh is definitely best!

Use a Proper Cinnamon Grater

However, to enjoy freshly grated cinnamon you do need a proper cinnamon grater. Cinnamon Hill has two kinds – and I found both to be really quality pieces. But the wooden one is hand made and is just beautiful. Using a microplane or grater isn’t recommended. BUT the really lovely thing is that I was able to toss my nutmeg grinder, and instead use the cinnamon grinder for nutmeg, too.

Notes on the recipe:

• This is an (Amazon affiliate link)  ice cream maker I recommend.
• This recipe really benefits from time to ripen in the freezer. The cinnamon flavor will better permeate the ice cream if left at least 24 hours. (We enjoyed the last of it weeks later and it was amazing then!).
• I ended up using a combination of both the Saigon and Ceylon cinnamon for this recipe. The Saigon has the classic spicy cinnamon flavor that I’ve always loved in apple pies. The Ceylon is warm and citrusy.

Homemade Cinnamon Ice Cream with Candied Cashews

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups of full fat coconut milk or cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (gluten-free, if needed)
• 2-4 teaspoons cinnamon (2 if using pre-ground cinnamon, as I found pre-ground overpowers more quickly)
• ¾  cup pure maple syrup

Candied cashews:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (1/4 teaspoon if using pre-ground cinnamon, as I found pre-ground overpowers more quickly)
• ¾ cup cashews (I prefer cashew pieces

Directions:

1. In a small pan (I prefer cast iron), melt the coconut oil and coconut sugar together. Add the cashews and the cinnamon and cook over medium heat until the cashews are starting to brown. Pour the entire contents of the pan into a heat safe bowl, and allow the cashews to completely cool. The caramel-like sauce from the oil and sugar will harden on the cashews (and what doesn’t harden on the cashews makes delicious little morsels on their own for the ice cream!). After it has cooled completely, break apart the cashews, if needed.

2. Combine the rest of the ice cream ingredients together, and whisk. If using fresh cinnamon, start with 2 teaspoons and go from there, taste testing your way to desired flavor. If using pre-ground, start with 1, and then taste test up to 2 teaspoons.

3. Make in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding the cashews in the last minute of the ice cream cycle, and then scrape into a container for the freezer.

4. Let the ice cream ripen in the freezer, preferably at least 24 hours (if not longer), and then serve. The ice cream will be hard, so allow it to soften at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before scooping.

Why You Should Use Freshly Grated Cinnamon (and Cinnamon Coconut Ice Cream with Candied Cinnamon Cashews)

 

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Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups of full fat coconut milk or cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (gluten-free, if needed)
• 2-4 teaspoons cinnamon (2 if using pre-ground cinnamon, as I found pre-ground overpowers more quickly)
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• Candied cashews:
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (1/4 teaspoon if using pre-ground cinnamon, as I found pre-ground overpowers more quickly)
• ¾ cup cashews (I prefer cashew pieces)

Instructions

1. In a small pan (I prefer cast iron), melt the coconut oil and coconut sugar together. Add the cashews and the cinnamon and cook over medium heat until the cashews are starting to brown. Pour the entire contents of the pan into a heat safe bowl, and allow the cashews to completely cool. The caramel-like sauce from the oil and sugar will harden on the cashews (and what doesn’t harden on the cashews makes delicious little morsels on their own for the ice cream!). After it has cooled completely, break apart the cashews, if needed.
2. Combine the rest of the ice cream ingredients together, and whisk. If using fresh cinnamon, start with 2 teaspoons and go from there, taste testing your way to desired flavor. If using pre-ground, start with 1, and then taste test up to 2 teaspoons.
3. Make in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding the cashews in the last minute of the ice cream cycle, and then scrape into a container for the freezer.
4. Let the ice cream ripen in the freezer, preferably at least 24 hours (if not longer), and then serve. The ice cream will be hard, so allow it to soften at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before scooping.

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Disclosure: Cinnamon Hill Cinnamon Hill has partnered with me to bring us this lovely sponsored post. Please share the love with them! All opinions in this post are my own. Some links may be affiliate.

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KimiHarris

I love beautiful and simple food that is nourishing to the body and the soul. I wrote Fresh: Nourishing Salads for All Seasons and Ladled: Nourishing Soups for All Seasons as another outlet of sharing this love of mine. I also love sharing practical tips on how to make a real food diet work on a real life budget. Find me online elsewhere by clicking on the icons below!

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