Spiced Tamarind Sherbet
A tangy chilled tamarind drink scented with cinnamon, cloves and fresh ginger.
The Turkish pantry
Cinnamon sticks
Cinnamon sticks flavor simmered drinks, fruit and pumpkin without scattering ground spice through them. Add whole pieces as directed, then remove them before serving.
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Dried cinnamon bark in sticks, with species unspecified by the recipe record. A ground-cinnamon nutrient reference describes the dry spice, not the amount extracted into a strained drink.
Types & forms
Whole sticks
Easy to lift out or strain from a liquid after flavoring. Stick size varies, so follow the recipe’s specified amount.
Ground cinnamon
Disperses through food and cannot be removed like a stick. It is a different preparation even when made from cinnamon bark.
What to look for when buying
- Choose food-grade cinnamon sticks in a labeled package, not decorative bark or a mixed potpourri product.
- Look for dry pieces with a clear cinnamon aroma. Species and bark thickness may vary; read any named type on the pack.
Prepare & cook
- Add the stick at the stage given in the drink or dessert recipe. Avoid extra crushing unless the method calls for it.
- Remove sticks and loose bark pieces before serving. A fine strainer is useful when other whole spices are present.
Store it well
- Keep tightly closed in a cool, dry cupboard, away from the hob, steam and sunlight.
- Use a dry spoon and replace spices that have lost their aroma. Discard any product affected by moisture or mold.
Substitutions depend on the dish
Ground cinnamon
Changes appearance and mouthfeel and cannot be strained out fully; use only where the recipe allows it.
Another whole spice
Cloves and allspice have different flavors and strengths, so they are not direct replacements.
Nutrition
Government reference example: Ground cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum), dry spice reference [1]
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 247 kcal |
| Protein | 3.99 g |
| Total fat | 1.24 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.35 g |
| Carbohydrate | 80.6 g |
| Dietary fiber | 53.1 g |
| Total sugars | 2.17 g |
| Sodium | 10 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Calcium | 1,000 mg |
| Iron | 8.32 mg |
| Potassium | 431 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg |
Per 100 g of the stated reference food. The ingredient is cinnamon sticks. This example describes ground dry cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum), not all cinnamon species or a measured whole-stick composition or the amount extracted into a drink or dessert. Do not calculate an infusion by counting sticks. Values are rounded for readability; “not reported” does not mean zero. A “<” value is below the source’s measurement limit.
Nutrition values come from the reference source named above. They are published reference values, not our own measurements. Actual products and cooking methods may change the values.
At the Turkish table
Our Kaynar, şerbet, compote and pumpkin dessert recipes use cinnamon sticks in different ways. Their role is culinary flavor; this guide does not present a spice infusion as a treatment.
Cook with Cinnamon sticks
Pumpkin Dessert
Pumpkin slowly cooked in its own syrup, lightly browned in the oven and finished with double-roasted tahini and walnuts.
Adana-Style Herb Tea
A warm spice infusion with galangal, ginger, cinnamon and cloves, topped with walnuts. In Adana, kaynar is associated with visits celebrating a new baby. That cultural association does not establish a medical or lactation benefit; this is a culinary serving recipe.
Purple Basil Sherbet
A chilled purple-basil drink scented with cinnamon, cloves and lemon.
Sour Cherry Compote
Sour cherries in a lightly spiced syrup, served cold with the fruit.