A cannelé is a small pastry from Bordeaux, France. It has a spongy golden crust with a soft, custard-like center. While traditional preparations have them flavored with rum and vanilla, you can find modern cannelés in a variety of flavors like pistachio, lavender, chocolate, orange, etc. But here is an authentic cannelé recipe from Bordeaux. Once you master this recipe, you can experiment by adding different extracts for different flavors.
Cannelés were invented around the 18th century in Bordeaux, in a convent. Nuns would collect flour from the ships and used it to make their treats. Cannelés are made of flour, eggs, sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and, best of all, rum! As Bordeaux was an important city for international trade in the early modern period, vanilla and rum came also passed through the city’s ports.
Back in the 18th century, these little cakes were called “cannelats” and were small, thin pastries rolled around a cane stalk and fried with lard. The recipe was later modified and improved, and cannelats became “cannelés” in reference to their fluting shape called “cannelure” in French. They were then baked in special bronze and copper molds. Cannelés are today the most iconic and emblematic local product in Bordeaux.
You might find yourself confused when it comes to the treat’s spelling. Indeed, various websites, blogs and recipe books spell cannelés two different ways: canelés and cannelés. So, which is best? There is no best way and both spellings are totally acceptable. Originally, cannelé was written with two “n”s due to their shape, but the second “n” was removed in 1985 when some bakers and pastry chefs from Bordeaux gathered and created the Brotherhood of the Canelé of Bordeaux (Confrérie du Canelé de Bordeaux). Since then, the name canelé with one “n” became a collective brand but both spellings are still used and found around the world.
We all know that the cannelé has a special shape. You can achieve this special shape by purchasing a mold like this one (avoid using silicone molds as they are generally terrible, but the above-linked one is metal, sturdy, and works well).
If you make this dessert, take a picture and tag me on Instagram so I can see your delicious work! Also, please let me know in the comments section below what you think about it!
Bon appétit!
Recipe:
1. Generously spread butter into the cannelé mold and place in the refrigerator until ready to fill. 2. Boil the milk on the stove top with the vanilla bean and the butter (split open the vanilla bean, scrape the insides into the milk). While the milk is boiling, mix the flour and sugar together in a bowl. Then add two whole eggs and another two egg yolks. Add a pinch of salt and mix vigorously. Add the boiled milk mixture and mix everything until the batter is liquid-like and smooth. 3. Set aside to cool down for about 5 minutes. When it is cool, add the rum and mix well. Place into the refrigerator for 1 hour. 4. Preheat the oven to 460 degrees with a baking sheet inside. Place the batter into the mold, filling each one around 2/3 full. Put the mold into the oven onto the baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an hour. Make sure to spread enough butter in the mold before you put in the batter. If the cannelés are turning brown too quickly, turn down the oven temperature to 300 F.
Ingredients
Instructions
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