Drink · Sri Lankan
Ceylon Cinnamon Tea
The simplest way to taste what true cinnamon actually is, with nothing else in the cup to hide behind.
If you have only ever met cinnamon as a powder in a jar, start here. Two quills, water, twelve minutes. What comes out is sweet, faintly citrusy and completely unlike the hot bite of cassia. It is also the cheapest possible way to decide whether you like the difference before you commit it to a recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 Ceylon cinnamon quills, about 8 cm each
- 500 ml water
- Honey, to taste (optional)
- 1 thin slice of lemon (optional)
Method
- Snap the quills roughly in half so more surface meets the water. Ceylon quills crumble easily, which is the point.
- Bring the water to a bare simmer, not a rolling boil. Boiling drives off the volatile oil you are trying to extract.
- Add the cinnamon and hold at a bare simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. The water will turn pale amber.
- Take off the heat, cover, and rest for 2 minutes. Strain into cups.
- Add honey or lemon only if you want to. Try the first cup plain so you know what the spice tastes like on its own.
Tip. The same quills will take a second infusion. Leave them in the pan, top up with fresh water and simmer again — the second brew is lighter but still good.
More in the recipe collection, or read about the spices themselves.
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