Ecuadorean recipe
How to make Canelazo
The Andes, especially Quito
A hot drink of cinnamon water sweetened with raw cane sugar (panela), often with fruit juice such as naranjilla or blackberry, and a splash of aguardiente, a sugar-cane spirit. It is sold by street vendors during the Fiestas de Quito and at Christmas.
Ingredients
- 1 litre water
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves (optional)
- 80 g panela or dark brown sugar
- 250 ml fruit juice, such as blackberry, passion fruit or orange
- 100 ml aguardiente or white rum (optional; leave it out for a family version)
Method
- Put the water, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the panela or sugar and stir until it dissolves.
- Add the fruit juice and heat through for a few minutes, without boiling.
- Take the pan off the heat and remove the cinnamon and cloves. If anyone is not drinking alcohol, pour their cups now. Then stir the aguardiente or rum into the rest of the pan, if you are using it.
- Serve hot in small cups. Keep the alcohol-free cups apart and give them to children and anyone not drinking alcohol.
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