Cannelés

Name: Cannelés
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 15
Ingredients: Whole milk 2.1 cups; Sugar 1 cup; Type 00 flour 1 ¼ cup; Butter 3 ½ tbsp; Rum 3.5 oz; Eggs 2; Vanilla bean 1; Fine salt 1 tsp; Butter to taste

it fr es br de

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Makes: 15 pieces
Cost: Low
Note plus 34 h for the batter to rest in the refrigerator

PRESENTATION

If you’ve ever been to Bordeaux, you know that cannelés are a must-try treat. These little cakes have a crunchy exterior that’s perfectly caramelized, thanks to their unique baking process. But inside? Totally soft and custardy. And you know, the story goes that these French cannelés were originally created to use up extra egg yolks from the wine-making process. Nothing goes to waste in Bordeaux! The secret to their flavor? A mix of vanilla and rum. The rum isn’t just for a boozy kick; it actually helps with fermentation, giving the batter that special lift. And look, you also want to add the milk cold. Keeps the alcohol in check while developing those flavors.

The real magic happens with the cannelés mold—which is great. Traditionally, these are made of copper and are buttered up to ensure that the batter caramelizes beautifully. Seriously good stuff. Allowing the batter to rest is another key step. It ensures that the texture is just right—tender with tiny bubbles that add an intriguing bite. Pretty simple, right? Once baked, these Bordeaux cannelés are often served warm, and when paired with a sweet wine, it really really shows the contrast between the crispy outside and the creamy inside. Every bite is a delicious mix of textures and flavors.

Whether you're diving into the rich history of these treats or just looking for something super tasty to enjoy with coffee, French cannelés offer a taste of tradition and craftsmanship. Every step in the process, from selecting the best ingredients to perfecting the baking time, contributes to the experience. If you haven’t tried one yet, you're missing out on a real culinary gem. So next time you’re in the mood for something special, give this classic French delight a go. Savor that amazing balance of sweet and golden goodness. Can't go wrong.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for 15 Cannelés: Whole milk 2.1 cups (500 ml); Sugar 1 cup (200 g); Type 00 flour 1 ¼ cup (150 g); Butter 3 ½ tbsp (50 g); Rum 3.5 oz (100 ml); Eggs 2; Vanilla bean 1; Fine salt 1 tsp (5 g)

For greasing: Butter to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Cannelés

To prepare the cannelés, bring the milk to a boil with the opened vanilla bean 1; as soon as the milk is about to boil, remove it from the heat, strain it 2, and let it cool slightly 3.

Soften the butter in a double boiler 4, it should resemble a pomade and, away from the heat, add the granulated sugar (you can also use brown sugar) and mix the two ingredients with a whisk (5-6).

Now add the eggs and amalgamate them well into the mixture (7-8); add the sifted flour 9 and

incorporate it well, stirring continuously with the whisk 10. Finally, add the salt and rum 12 and stir again to avoid lumps.

When the milk is cold, add it to the mixture 13 and mix well 14 to obtain a homogeneous batter. Cover the bowl in which you have worked with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 34 hours 15. During this time, the alcohol will ferment and allow the dough to rise, thus obtaining the typical airy texture of the cannelés during baking. For this step to occur, the presence of alcohol and the rest time are absolutely necessary.

After the necessary time has passed, take a cannelés mold and brush it with plenty of butter; then put the mold in the refrigerator for about ten minutes to allow the butter to solidify. Pour the cannelés batter into the mold, leaving 2-3 millimeters of space from the edge 16. Put the mold back in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes and then transfer it directly to a preheated static oven at 392°F for 1 hour and 30 minutes (if using a fan-assisted oven, 356°F for 1 hour and 20 minutes). During baking, you will see the cannelés rise significantly and then slowly return into the mold. Remove the cannelés from the oven; they will be very brown on the outside: this is their characteristic, due to the caramelization of the sugar during baking 17. Let them cool slightly in the mold and when they are warm, unmold them 18 and serve immediately!

Storage

Cannelés are delicious if consumed warm at the moment because they maintain their crispiness on the outside while remaining moist inside.
You can still store them for 3-4 days under a glass dome.

Trivia

Want to know more about the history of the cannelés? Tradition has it that they were invented by the nuns of the Annonciation convent in Bordeaux, to whom the wine producers donated the unused egg yolks after the fining technique.
During the convent renovations, despite numerous artifacts found, no trace of cannelés molds was found so the origins likely need to be traced elsewhere.
According to others, the cannelés were the specialty of the wives of port dockers, who had rum and vanilla at their disposal, brought home by their husbands after work.
Finally, history reports that the origin of the cannelés is to be found in a special bread made with flour and egg yolks called canaule. The master bakers, specialized in making canaule, were called canauliers and were authorized by law to work only with those two ingredients. They were indeed prohibited from using sugar, an ingredient reserved exclusively for pastry chefs. However, the canauliers added milk and sugar to their bread dough and thus the cannelés were born: a war of interests erupted between canauliers and pastry chefs, which ended only with the abolition of the guilds.

Tip

I searched high and low for small copper molds, typical of the Bordeaux area: there was nothing to be done. As you can see from the recipe, I settled for silicone molds. If you too have never been to Bordeaux nor have copper molds, make sure the silicone is thin: only this way will it let the heat pass well and promote even baking.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.