Canelés de Bordeaux (French Rum & Vanilla Cakes) melt-in-mouth and indulgent

Name: Canelés de Bordeaux (French Rum & Vanilla Cakes)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 795 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: For the batter:2.1 cups (500 ml) of milk heated to 120°F (50 °C); 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg; 1 vanilla pod; 4.4 oz (125 g) of flour; 1 fl oz (3 cl) of rapeseed oil; 7.75 oz (220 g) of caster sugar; 1.4 fl oz (4 cl) of amber rum; For coating the moulds:1.75 oz (50 g) of icing sugar; 3.5 oz (100 g) of flour; A little softened butter

A recipe by Michelin-starred Chef Patrick Asfaux 4.9/5 (66 reviews) · 🍳 44 made it

Prep 15 min

Cook 60 min

Rest 12h

Total 13h15

Servings 6 serv.

Cannelés often fail because the batter is too runny or the oven temperature is inconsistent. Here's how to get them right: prepare the day before, coat the moulds precisely, and most importantly, unmould them immediately when they come out of the oven. The very dark colour is not a flaw, it's the signature of a proper cannelé.

Ingredients for 6 servings

Adjust for

servings

For the batter:

2.1 cups (500 ml) of milk heated to 120°F (50 °C)
2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg
1 vanilla pod
4.4 oz (125 g) of flour
1 fl oz (3 cl) of rapeseed oil
7.75 oz (220 g) of caster sugar
1.4 fl oz (4 cl) of amber rum

For coating the moulds:

1.75 oz (50 g) of icing sugar
3.5 oz (100 g) of flour
A little softened butter

Step-by-step recipe

The day before:

1 Bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla pod split in half, then let it cool until it's just slightly warmer than your touch, about 120°F (50 °C).

2 Whisk the whole egg and the two yolks with the sugar, then add the warm milk. Let it rest for one hour, then remove the vanilla pod.

3 Add the 4.4 oz (125 g) of sifted flour, the oil and then the rum, and place in a sealed container in the fridge overnight.

The same day:

4 Heat your oven to 480°F (250 °C), gas mark 9.

5 In a small bowl, mix 3.5 oz (100 g) of flour and 1.75 oz (50 g) of icing sugar. Butter your moulds, then fill them with this mixture, then turn them upside down on the table and tap firmly so that only a thin film remains inside each mould.

6 Fill the moulds two-thirds full with the batter prepared the day before.

7 Bake at 480°F (250 °C) for 10 minutes, then at 355°F (180 °C) for 50 minutes. Don't be surprised by the very dark colour of your cannelés, that's how they should be. They are done when a knife tip inserted inside comes out dry.

Important: don't forget to unmould your cannelés as soon as they come out of the oven, because after that you won't be able to.

A chef's advice

In Bordeaux, some pastry chefs jealously guard their glazing recipe: a honey-sugar mixture applied hot when it comes out of the oven, which caramelises the surface. Others remain purists with the natural caramelisation from the oven. You, keep it simple and test both approaches to see what you really prefer.