Cinnamon Ice Cream

Cinnamon comes from two different plants: the cassia and zeylanicum evergreen trees. The zeylanicum trees are native to Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), Myanmar (formerly Burma), and the western coast of India (the Malabar coast). The cassia trees are native to Sumatra Indonesia, Vietnam, and China. Zeylanicum is the cinnamon imported during the Age of Exploration by the Dutch East India Company, and for that reason is sometimes known as "true" cinnamon. However, cassia cinnamon is what American are used to.

Usually Saigon cinnamon refers to cassia cinnamon from Vietnam. However, Vanns Saigon cinnamon is actually, according to them, zeylanicum cinnamon shipped to the U.S. from the port of Saigon. Traditionally spices are named by the port of shipment, such as Tellicherry Pepper and Muntok Pepper.

Zeylanicum cinnamon is best used in desserts and quickly cooked baked goods, for instance cinnamon buns or cinnamon sugar toast.

The following is Ann Wilder's recipe for cinnamon ice cream. Ann Wilder is the founder and owner of Vanns Spices. It makes about 2 quarts.

1 3/4 cup sugar 
6 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons Vanns Saigon (zeylanicum) cinnamon
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg beaten
1 pint whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

-Combine 3/4 cup sugar, water, cinnamon.  Set aside.
-Scald milk. Stir in remaining 1 cup sugar and egg.
-Cook until thickened, to coat the spoon.  Chill.
-Stir in sugar, water, and cinnamon mixture and add cream and vanilla. -Freeze.