Dutch Cinnamon Candy- Healthier Version, Suitable for People With Diabetes

Dutch cinnamon candy is a traditional candy, often sold at the kermis/fairs in the form of a large stick wrapped in parchment paper. It’s one of my fathers favourite candy, but he cannot eat them anymore because he has diabetes. As there is not much choice in sweets for people with diabetes (in our country) and they are always loaded with bad sugar substitutes, I sometimes make him healthier alternatives for whatever he wants. So this time the Dutch cinnamon stick. I also made it a little softer then the original, because I don’t want him to break his teeth.

Because I couldn’t find any recipes for the ´kaneelstok´, I had to figure it out myself and gladly want to share it with you. This is my first instructable, I hope you like it. I am open for comments and suggestions. I want to excuse for the quality of my photo’s, as my camera is broken.

Step 1: Ingredients (for 1 Stick and 12 Cushions (the Smaller Pieces Shown on the Photo)

50 ml water
275 grams sugar / 9.7 oz. (see *1 for healthier version)
1 tbsp cinnamon powder (see *2)
15 grams butter / 0.5 oz.
Cinnamon powder for dusting

Other: Saucepan (mine is 14 cm / about 5 inch) , long piece of baking paper (about 60 cm / 23 inches)

When you just want to make the candy without making the healthier version, you can skip step 2.

Step 2: Healthier: *1 and *2

*1.
I used coconut sugar as it has a low glycemic index and is suitable for people with diabetes. It is also very nutritious with a lot of vitamins and minerals. Sadly it is rather expensive. If you want to know more about this sugar, follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_sugar

*2
I used the real Ceylon cinnamon (bark of  Cinnamomum Verum tree) and not the cassia type of cinnamon (bark of Cinnamomum Aromaticum tree). They are both labelled as ´cinnamon´. In powder form is usually cassia, with maybe a little bit of the real cinnamon. I cannot show you the difference between them on a photo, because I don’t have cassia, but you can find it here: http://honestcooking.com/2012/01/26/cassia-vs-real-cinnamon/. The ceylon has more layers, just like a cigar, is more suitable for sweet dishes, and has far les coumarin then cassia (coumarin can affect blood thinners, which my father uses).

I could not find real Ceylon cinnamon powder (it does exist), so I had to make the powder myself from the Ceylon sticks (I bought them in the supermarket and they do not always have to be more expensive then cassia. I paid 1.59 for a bottle, that stood next to a bottle cassia for 3.99).

I’ve read that you can make cinnamon powder by using a coffee grinder but I don´t have one (yet, I am going to buy one), so I had to do it the hard way. I tried several things, from grater to mortar, but nothing worked well. With my father constantly asking if the candy was ready yet, I could not disappoint him, and had to try something else that did work:

Crush the cinnamon sticks in the mortar (I used 3 small sticks, about 10 grams in total, for the whole recipe) then put in on an ovenplate and let it dry for 10-12 minutes on 100 °C (212 °F). Then work it in the mortar and sif it. Done. Bonus: wonderful smell in the house

Step 3: How to Make the Candy

1. Put the baking paper on working surface or baking plate

2. put the water, sugar, butter and tbsp cinnamon in the sauce pan and keep stirring on a small fire until sugar has completely dissolved (about 5 minutes)

3. Then fire it up until bubbles appear (keep stirring), lower the fire and let it simmer for about 10 minutes (keep stirring)

4. As soon as the mass doesn’t run of the spoon, but drips slowly, you’re done

5. put the bottom of the pan immediately in cold water and keep stirring for about 30 seconds. You can feel it getting a little stiffer, and I heard the bubbles make clicking sounds.

6. quickly pour it on the sheet of baking paper lengthwise

7. roll it in form of a long stick, with help of the paper, not your bare hands

8. then dust it with cinnamon and roll the stick in it, until completely covered

9. Cut it in pieces. I cut it up in a stick and cushions, but you can do as you want

10. Let it cool for a while (if possible)

11. Rinse the saucepan as soon as possible with hot water and no scrubbing is required


As I said, I made a softer version of the original. If you like harder candy, I think you have to cook it a little longer, just like making toffees. You can check if it is hard enough by letting fall a drop of the mass into a glass cold water: when it forms a little ball, it is okay.